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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24458326">Thorns Behind Your Pretty Smile</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Reprise of The Spear Hero, 盾の勇者の成り上がり - アネコユサギ | Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari | The Rising of the Shield Hero - Aneko Yusagi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alt! Motoyasu is freaking out, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Reprise of the Spear Hero!Naofumi, Scheming!Naofumi, Veteran!Naofumi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:29:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>47,188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24458326</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>"You saved me before, Motoyasu. And now, I'll save you!"</p>
</blockquote>Naofumi stared at his hand, pristine but dripping with darkened blood. A hero has won when they'd defeated evil, but the villain wins just by spilling one drop of blood. He crossed these lines a long time ago. Time to see how long he can hold on.<p>He's descending into madness- faster than he could catch, because there was no one by his side, no one that he trusted.</p>
<p>
  <span class="small">Note: This is a first draft of the entire story. Once I decide and plan out loose ends, then I'll start the <i>actual</i> book. I'm putting this out here because it's nice to get some attention. :)<span class="small"></span></span>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>172</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Nothing Personal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naofumi slammed his shield onto the monster’s scales, its corpse serving as their platform after its untimely defeat. Seawater dripped from his armour, gathering at the edges of his breastplate and tunic. With a disgruntled scoff, he fell to his knees, his head bowing in admission to defeat. His cloak sagged behind him, heavier than usual. All in all, he he’d completely put his defences, guards, and tricks, and revealed complete vulnerability towards his enemies.</p>
<p>“Do what you want,” he growled, glaring at the turquoise scales. His gaze was so intense that it would burn through iron. Instead of defiance in his voice, there was only frustration and exhaustion. “Kill me.”</p>
<p>At this, the redheaded scythe user was taken aback by his sudden submission. His expression was a perfect face of confusion and surprise, his gloved hands tightening around the handle of his weapon. Like Naofumi, he too, was drenched wet.</p>
<p>“Kiddo?” L’arc stepped forward, his haughty voice riddled by holes of uncertainty. “You’re not planning anything, are you?”</p>
<p>His crimson eyes were looking at the Shield Hero up and down, as if he were hiding poison in his sleeves, like he would bring out a knife and slit his throat the moment he got close. Instead, in his many years of experience, he saw no hostility, only true defeat by surrender. There was no fight, and certainly no resistance.</p>
<p>The only thing he saw in Naofumi was his acceptance towards death. Or rather, he welcomed it. His eyes were closed shut, his sombre air he usually carried non-existent. The stoic and determined man that L’arc and Therese travelled with was no more, gone like he never existed to begin with.</p>
<p>This… wasn’t what L’arc anticipated. Not in the slightest. He’d expected to duel with the Cardinal Heroes, finally having his share of battle, and one of them would return to their home in a blaze of glory. While their hands would be stained with the other’s blood, it was a well-fought battle, nonetheless. It would be a fight to remember for centuries.</p>
<p>Instead, there was no fight at all. The Shield Hero, the person who he’d fought with for the past few days, the man who would jump in the fire to protect the weak, and even fight their opponents despite having next to no attack. The individual who L’arc had saw him as was reduced to someone who longed for the embrace of death.</p>
<p>It was almost like his motivation for fighting was to <em>die</em>.</p>
<p>Naofumi lifted his head, but it was only to check on L’arc, whose boast on killing him to save their world suddenly didn’t seem so iron-willed. His blackened eyes scanned the Vassal Hero, having lost more and more traces of emerald the more he used his Shield of Wrath. Now, they were permanently dark, like they were stained with coal.</p>
<p>“You want to save your world, don’t you?” Naofumi asked back, with no fight in them. He sounded as if he was lost in sea, with zero hope in finding land. “Then kill me.”</p>
<p>“But—but—” For once, L’arc truly was at a loss for words. Before this, he’d always managed to throw off Naofumi with his upbeat attitude and unpredictable choices. Now, it was Naofumi who’s surprised him. “You’re the Shield Hero. You’re meant to protect your world.”</p>
<p>“Who said this was my world?” His voice took a sour edge, speaking the term<em> world</em> as if it were poison. “I woke up in Melromarc after I flatlined. I’ve always wanted to die, but my shield forbids me from harming myself. I tried.”</p>
<p>L’arc was surprised, to say the least. Even if this would be the first Cardinal Hero he’s ever fought, he wasn’t sure what to make of the suicidal hero. With the days they’d spent together, he would never have assumed for this to be the case. For someone’s reason to fight is to die, these kinds of people were dangerous in many ways. They would have nothing left to lose.</p>
<p>“Then why me?” For once, he faltered in swinging the decisive blow. The Shield Hero’s neck was presented to him at this very moment, but he couldn’t bring himself to make that fatal decision. It felt wrong, to take someone’s life when they asked for it. “Why not someone else?”</p>
<p>They were taking too long. He could hear shouts from Melromarc’s soldiers and Queen.  They must have noticed the anomaly going on, and they would be quick to assist their hero, even if he didn’t want them to.</p>
<p>“Because you’re the only person I trust to take my life.”</p>
<p><em>No</em>.</p>
<p>This felt wrong. This <em>is</em> wrong. L’arc is an honourable man in battles, always granting mercy whenever the opponent deserved it. He would not hesitate to kill if he needed to. But someone asking for death from him? It’s just not right, but he had to save his own world.</p>
<p>“After the Wave, I would return in a corpse six feet underground.” Naofumi stared at him, his soulless eyes eating into L’arc’s spirit. “This is a relief from the torture I have to endure after my usefulness is up.”</p>
<p>Louder yelling now. The Queen and his party members were starting to grow restless. The Tanuki and the princess were boarding the Fillolial Queen.</p>
<p>“Go on,” Naofumi continued, ignoring the other three Heroes’ dazed shouts from the ships. Their voices and presences were nothing in Naofumi’s eyes. “Save your world.”</p>
<p>L’arc’s arms were trembling, with Therese’s hand on his shoulder. What would she say? <em>Don’t force yourself</em>? Or would she continue with the plan? Kill the Shield Hero, and the world would fall like domino. The only thing he needed to do was start the first push.</p>
<p>And that would be killing the man offering his neck to him.</p>
<p>L’arc clenched his teeth as he approached the kneeling man. His scythe was held tightly by his side, the metallic blade glinting under the harsh, scarlet lights. Mustering a scuffed grin, he curled his blade around Naofumi’s neck, like he was the grim reaper coming to collect a soul.</p>
<p>“I have nothing personal against ya, kiddo.”</p>
<p>Naofumi closed his eyes. “Don’t plan on blaming you, either.”</p>
<p>L’arc raised his scythe in the air, his doubt morphing into determination as the blade was held high, then brought down, in one, clean strike.</p>
<p>A fountain of blood spurted from Naofumi’s body, his eyes widened in shock as he felt the warm liquid dripping down half his body. There was no pain, only the sudden awareness as he felt his body lightening, his life force leaving him in the form of red. The shield on his arm detached itself from him, clattering to the ground by him. The emerald jewel in the centre faded to dull grey, cracking into half like there was no magic left within.</p>
<p>There was no doubt now.</p>
<p>The Shield Hero is dead.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, kiddo. I really am,” L’arc said, looking down to Naofumi’s body. He was still heaving shallow breaths, his eyes barely holding open.</p>
<p>Naofumi managed a brief grin, eyes sliding upwards to meet his eyes.</p>
<p>“Don’t be,” he said breathlessly, like he was choking on his own blood. “After all, I’m free of that shield…”</p>
<p>His chest stopped moving, his eyelids finally closing.</p>
<p>L’arc kept his eyes on his boots, only now realizing the pool of blood spreading to his feet. This was his friend’s blood, one that he shed. This was what kept Naofumi alive, but it was also he who forfeited it.</p>
<p>He’s killed many before. This in particular… didn’t sit right with him.</p>
<p>Across the monster’s carcass, the Shield Hero’s party arrived. The Tanuki, the Fillolial Queen and the Princess of Melromarc. All of them looked to be frozen in horror, their battle formation unorganized as they laid their eyes on the fallen Shield Hero.</p>
<p>L’arc didn’t want to fight them. Not just because they weren’t the Heroes they were actively looking for, but it was because he didn’t want them to be in more pain than they already am. It was obvious they all saw Naofumi as a father, yet he was the one that took their parent away, even if adopted.</p>
<p>He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and a figure stepping by his side. “We should go, L’arc.” Therese’s voice sounded heavier than usual, like she was the one that killed Naofumi herself. “Before we cause more pain.”</p>
<p>L’arc could barely find it in him to nod, to agree to her words. How could he? What he’d done was basically murder. He would never live it down, and he knew it. He would sleep knowing he’d taken the life of a man defeated by the world, even if he were the Shield Hero, even if it was to keep their world alive.</p>
<p>His world would be safe with the cost of a broken and battered life.</p>
<p>As his body was enveloped in the golden glow, he and Therese began to hover in the air, their bodies turning translucent as they were being transported back to their homeworld. He casted one glance towards Naofumi’s body, only to meet with a pair of magenta eyes.</p>
<p>His eyes widened.</p>
<p>Why did she look at him like that?</p>
<p>
  <em>Why isn’t she angry?</em>
</p>
<p>When the final bits of their bodies were transported back to their world, there was only one thought in his mind. <em>I’m going to make this right</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Garden of Glory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The burial of the Shield Hero was not a peaceful one.</p>
<p>As much as Raphtalia wanted his funeral to be secluded, to be away from the country of Melromarc, the Queen insisted, stating that this was tradition: every Cardinal Hero sacrificed were always buried in the Garden of Glory, where their legacies would be honoured and never forgotten.</p>
<p>Raphtalia had much to say against this. Naofumi never saw himself as a hero like the others, his predecessors, or just someone who would do good deeds in general. He would look in the mirror and would think, <em>I’m the man that only sees business opportunities in every situation</em>. It wasn’t mere speculation, either. Naofumi himself admitted that he cared more about profits than the country, if it weren’t for Raphtalia and Filo and Melty.</p>
<p>So, Raphtalia stood with the other heroes before the two thrones, side by side. There was an empty space between the Queen and the heroes, and they knew exactly why. Filo hid behind Raphtalia, her young form trembling and failing to hide her sniffles. Melty was standing by her Mother, trying to refrain from bawling into tears, but her eyes and nose were red and puffy. The three heroes, however, have lost their usual prideful air. They wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes, only keeping their gaze on their boots.</p>
<p>Not even Malty, now renamed Bitch, had anything to say. She knew better than to disrupt a memorial.</p>
<p>They were gathered in the throne room, where their usual meetings would take place. There were priests standing along the carpet, each holding a crystal ball each. They were being broadcasted to the people of Melromarc, and no doubt, the people Naofumi saved would be watching them too.</p>
<p>Raphtalia glanced over to the curtain by the corner. Her ears twitched, picking up footsteps that trailed near. They were synchronized, and heavy, but not just from holding something. It was their own spirits that were unbearably substantial.</p>
<p>The room’s air was sombre and grim, like the weight of the situation had newly dawned on them with a seriousness no one’s seen before. The death of the unkillable, whose end was offered by the man’s own free will.</p>
<p>A flap of a fan caught everyone’s attention, turning their gazes towards the Queen. Her arm was outstretched, a closed fan in hand.</p>
<p>“Dear Citizens of Melromarc,” she started with a firm voice. “We are gathered here today to grieve the loss of the Shield Hero.”</p>
<p><em>It’s started</em>.</p>
<p>The people finally emerged from the curtains, magic pulling the fabric aside as a familiar group of knights held a coffin on their shoulders, the coffin made entirely of glass. It was laced with silver and emeralds, looking far too grand for something that would never see the light of day again, but what astonished the people most was the man that laid within its closed lids.</p>
<p>Iwatani Naofumi, the Shield Hero; the Saviour of the Heavenly Fowl; and his former alias, the <em>Shield Demon</em>.</p>
<p>The knights moved in sync as they marched towards the centre of the room, lowering their bodies in silence, and put the coffin between the Queen and the heroes.</p>
<p>Raphtalia tried not to get emotional, but tears sprung to her eyes as soon as she laid eyes on her master’s face. There was a red velvet base that Naofumi lied on, his hands crossed on his chest that was covered by his broken shield. He was dressed in the armour that he’d died in; the same armour that she would see on him everyday whenever she woke up.</p>
<p>The coffin’s height was to her waist, the silver imbued with enchantments that she could recognize as a preservative. Naofumi’s body will remain the same as it is now, never rotting or succumbing to nature.</p>
<p>And his face—</p>
<p><em>His face, oh god</em>.</p>
<p>For the first time in Raphtalia’s life, he looked like he was finally in peace. There was a faint smile in his expression, like he’d treated death as a merciful release, one that he’s been waiting for for far too long.</p>
<p>She covered her nose and mouth with her hand, trying to stop herself from sobbing. The man that raised her was <em>gone</em>, and his body laid before her.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the Queen did not wait for anyone’s grief. “Iwatani Naofumi’s great deeds are well-known around the kingdom of Melromarc,” she continued, her tone as regal as ever. Raphtalia wondered whether if she was hurting, too. “Despite the many challenges the former king and princess, now known as Trash and Bite respectively, he did not step down in the face of prejudice.”</p>
<p>The Queen’s eyes fell on Raphtalia, then to Filo’s shivering form, then to her daughter that stood stiffly beside her.</p>
<p>“To many, he is a Hero. But to his companions, he is a father. Do not let his death sway your will to fight. Know that he gave your life for you, and you will fight for his cause.”</p>
<p>The people outside the castle watched the broadcast in equally stunned silence. For once, the rowdy kingdom of Melromarc were all quiet, all silent in an unspoken rule. In rural areas that the Shield Hero had once saved, the townspeople wept over the loss of their saviour.</p>
<p>Raphtalia felt her fists clenched. Was that directed towards them? <em>How would they know if he wanted to fight—? She had no right to say that!</em></p>
<p>“He will be honoured after death, to be buried in the Garden of Glory alongside the previous Heroes. This is the highest honour that anyone could ever achieve.”</p>
<p><em>Honour?</em> Raphtalia would be screaming and kicking if it wasn’t for the sight of her master before her. If he wasn’t here, even if he was gone, he would be disappointed with her impulsive actions. She knows Master Naofumi the best! He wouldn’t want any of this. <em>But what can I do? I’m not the Queen.</em></p>
<p>With the wave of her fan, the knights that were previously sanctioned by the corner were called to take the coffin away. However, before they did, the Sword Hero held a hand up, stopping the ceremony.</p>
<p>“Is there anything you need, Sir Ren?” The Queen asked, hiding her face behind her fan.</p>
<p>Ren’s expression wasn’t cool or calm, but it was distraught and riddled with disbelief. “I request that I be the one to take him on his final journey,” he said softly, lacking in his usual demanding air. “I owe him my life.”</p>
<p>Itsuki raised his hand as well. “As do I.”</p>
<p>Like they’d trained beforehand, the two high school students trained their eyes on the oldest of the trio. The blond who was looking more uncomfortable than ever, was now shifting in his boots, swearing in his armour. He didn’t look so high and mighty now.</p>
<p>“So will I,” Motoyasu muttered, but there was no spite. He truly had troubles in admitting his intentions.</p>
<p>The Queen’s eyes widened in shock, but not before sighing in relief and disbelief. She nodded at them, putting her hand on her lap. “Very well. I shall grant your request.”</p>
<p>“I’m doing it too.”</p>
<p>All eyes were no Raphtalia, who had fresh tear streaks down her cheek, but none in her eyes. She put a hand on her chest, glaring forward. “I’m Master Naofumi’s sword. It’s only right if I’m with him in his last journey.”</p>
<p>The other three heroes did not object, so the Queen granted it. With the wave of her hand, the priests holding the crystal balls turned towards the door, and left simultaneously in an orderly fashion. The broadcast was over.</p>
<p>So, with Filo trailing by her older sister, Raphtalia and the three heroes hoisted the coffin over their shoulder, feeling the weight of a dead hero on them. <em>He died because of them. He died because of this world. He died alone</em>.</p>
<p>Raphtalia was at the back right, her hands sweating as she tried to balance herself. She didn’t want to let her Master down, not because of this.</p>
<p>They followed the Queen outside the throne room, to the palace gardens, then through a secret passage from the fountain to a hidden place. It opened a trapdoor on the ground, revealing stairs that led into the darkness. They held the glass coffin steady, the responsibility heavier than any of their missions they have ever handled.</p>
<p>The stairs were long, but to Raphtalia, it only felt like seconds. She wanted to spend every bit of this time with Master Naofumi, but she wasn’t able to do so. Even if Naofumi never saw himself as one, he is still a Cardinal Hero.</p>
<p>At least, he was.</p>
<p>Eventually, they stepped into a magnificent garden. The skies were sapphire blue, the clouds a reflection of an aurora. The grass was a colourful shade of sky blue, the flowers all sporting the same silver petals and gold leaves. It was a majestic place, but its purpose was anything but.</p>
<p>Around them, all separated in respected distances, were more coffins in bronze capsules. They contained the bodies of the previous Heroes, faces they didn’t recognize. Some were mutilated beyond the point of recognition. The pattern was visible: four heroes together, their coffins only few feet away from the other. Their broken weapons laid by their side, similar to the one the current heroes are using.</p>
<p>There was a lectern at the centre of each group, holding a book.</p>
<p>Naofumi’s coffin was placed at the very first of the capsules, holding his coffin tilting upright. The lectern at the centre of the four capsules held a book similar to the others, but they knew only the Shield Hero’s story will be written for now.</p>
<p>“M—Master,” Filo sobbed, holding Melty’s hand. “I’ll miss you, Master! Wuahhhhh!”</p>
<p>She finally burst into a fountain of tears, falling to her knees as tears streamed down her usual cheerful eyes. Melty, who was also hiding her true grief, broke down as well. The two young girls held each other tight, the others fortunately did not mind their cries.</p>
<p>Raphtalia’s eyes were fixed on Naofumi’s face, looking at him in a daze. She’ll remember his face. She’ll carry on and take care of Filo in his place. <em>But—</em></p>
<p>She placed a trembling hand on the glass coffin, shaking uncontrollably. “Naofumi-sama,” she choked on her own tears, forcing herself to look up to the Shield Hero, because this might be the final time she’ll see him out of her memory. “Thank you for giving me a life I never had a chance to.”</p>
<p>A firm hand was placed on her shoulder, which shocked her to turn. It was Ren, the shock showing in his eyes.</p>
<p>“I think he’s very proud of who you’ve become,” he said.</p>
<p>It felt odd, because Ren was shorter than Raphtalia, but the message came across just the same.</p>
<p>Raphtalia managed a smile, then nodded, blinking her tears away. “Mhm!”</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>“Um,” L’arc started, scratching the back of his head as he grunted in embarrassment. “I’m L’arc. Nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>He shouldn’t be doing this, but he has to.</p>
<p>He held out his hand, which was quickly taken by the man across him. His emerald eyes shone with friendliness, his posture warm and ready to care for anyone in need. “Oh! Nice to meet you,” he greeted, the blue gem on the shield on his arm glinting under the sun. “I’m Naofumi. So what brings you here today?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Iwatani Naofumi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iwatani Naofumi. The Shield Hero of this world, and the former God and Lord of Siltvelt. Retired after the Waves of his world was over, and now lives in peace in a small cottage between the borders of Melromarc and Siltvelt.</p>
<p>Finding him proved to be more difficult than finding his counterpart. His rogue doppelganger had been unpredictable, distrusting and violent, but at least he was <em>loud</em>. Everywhere he went, there were always the most brutal fights; mostly against monsters, but sometimes against other heroes.</p>
<p>This Naofumi was soft, peaceful and a downright Pacifist. It threw L’arc off-guard when they first met, as he couldn’t bring himself to believe they were the same person who just made different choices. The two were polar opposites. Still, he wasn’t without battle experience. His 289 levels said so, along with the various assortment of shields he had in his disposal.</p>
<p>If L’arc didn’t know any better, he would assume he’d found a weaker version of Naofumi.</p>
<p>“I can tell you’re not from this world,” Naofumi stated to L’arc, sitting on the chair as he leaned his hand on the wooden table. His house had only one room, which had all appliances he needed. It was small, but how Naofumi decorated it made it cosy. “Your tongue pronunciations are different from any language I’ve heard.”</p>
<p>At that notice, L’arc, who was standing in front of Naofumi, stiffened instantly, his hands itching for the scythe strapped on his back. Despite his calm, peaceful demeanour, the fact that he could tell L’arc was from another world just by dialect was unsettling. Even more so when his shield would translate languages for him, yet he made effort to analyse every bit of L’arc’s movement.</p>
<p>Naofumi glanced at him, a small smile plastered on his face. He was the complete opposite of the other, but the danger lurking behind that smile could outweigh his counterpart’s threats by miles.</p>
<p>“Look, it’s not like I want to fight you,” Naofumi said, putting his shield arm in front of him, showing him the Cardinal weapon. “It’s not like I can. Despite my level, I have little attack power.”</p>
<p><em>But I can hurt you in many, many other ways</em>. L’arc caught the words he did not say. It was his powerless offense that drove him to seek other methods of battle. One that was crafty, and a dangerous one if manoeuvred properly, even if Naofumi was alone.</p>
<p>In other words, it was an indirect threat, <em>daring</em> him to disturb his peace.</p>
<p>“So what do you need from me?”</p>
<p>L’arc sighed, deciding that the previous version of Naofumi was easier to deal with. He despised people who were scheming and calculating behind the scenes, hiding lakes of venom behind a simple smile or nod.</p>
<p>“I killed another you, a few weeks ago.”</p>
<p>Naofumi raised an eyebrow. “Explain.”</p>
<p>L’arc told him everything. How his world was in doom and how he was forced to kill the other heroes to save it. How he met the other Naofumi, their travels, and how he forfeited his life when he knew what L’arc was here for. He also threw in details of how the other Naofumi was framed, discriminated and forced in a country that had prejudice against him, and his first impression on him.</p>
<p>Through all of this, Naofumi listened intently, occasionally frowning when L’arc explained vague details about the Princess and the King’s trial. He himself was nearly prosecuted for falsely accused rape, and if it weren’t for Motoyasu, he might have ended on the path his counterpart had been on. He could only sigh when L’arc told him their fates, which he claimed that their names were legally changed to <em>Bitch</em> and <em>Trash</em>.</p>
<p>Everything sounded bizarre, too much for someone to believe, but Naofumi nodded and believed him when L’arc was finished.</p>
<p>“You believe me?” L’arc asked, genuinely surprised.</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded, holding his head with his hand. “Motoyasu tells me he comes from another timeline,” he said. “I think that his original world is similar to yours.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” It was L’arc’s turn to suffer from a migraine. As a vassal weapon holder, drifting between different dimensions was like second nature. But knowing Cardinal Weapons had the ability to reverse time? He’d rather spend his days praying that no one brings him to a timeline where he had to kill a Naofumi that turned out to be a literal demon. It was possible, with his heavy dabbling in curse magics.</p>
<p>He didn’t want to see that man dead. At least, not again.</p>
<p>Naofumi shifted in positions, slouching as he crossed his fingers between his thighs. L’arc noted that he was wearing something that didn’t belong in Melromarc, but something that could be from his own world. It looked worn, but clean, meaning that he never bothered to invest in armour because of his natural defence.</p>
<p>Compared to the Naofumi he killed, this man looked clean and powerless, a strong contrast to his true capabilities.</p>
<p>The memory of Naofumi’s corpse flashed in his mind, and so did the blood and his contempt expression. <em>He killed a man who seeks death. </em>It still feels wrong, no matter the situation and consequences.</p>
<p>“I have a feeling that you didn’t come here just to tell me all of this,” Naofumi continued.</p>
<p>L’arc’s eyes snapped upwards to him, to meet with a gentle smile. He wasn’t blind; he could see the poison dripping behind those words, showing through those—</p>
<p><em>Wait</em>.</p>
<p>“You have blue eyes,” L’arc noted, pointing a finger at the shielder.</p>
<p>Naofumi blinked, raising his hand to his face instinctively. “Oh. Does it matter?” he asked.</p>
<p><em>The other Naofumi has green eyes, not blue</em>. Maybe this was a mistake. He’d found a universe where a Naofumi is the things he’s not supposed to be. His deceiving personality, his high levels, his easy-going behaviour—all of them screamed <em>I’m not Naofumi!</em></p>
<p>“The other Naofumi has green ones,” L’arc said. “It doesn’t make much of a difference, but…”</p>
<p>
  <em>But everything else is.</em>
</p>
<p>“So, you said that other me has two party members, right?” Naofumi put a finger on his lips in thought, titling his head. “And they’re only children, despite the Tanuki having the appearance of an adult. Sounds a bit disturbing to me, knowing that they’re without a guardian.”</p>
<p>L’arc sighed. “That’s what I wanted to ask you about. I’m asking you to take care of them for a bit, until they’re ready to accept <em>his</em> death and take care of themselves.”</p>
<p>Up until this point, L’arc hadn’t known what to make of this situation. He might have dug himself a hole and made it deeper whenever he answered something that made Naofumi frown, even if it was just the slightest. He could feel himself tense in his boots, his teeth clenching as the blue-eyed Naofumi considered this request.</p>
<p>The cottage was warm, surrounded by a forest. It’d took him weeks to find word of where the Shield Hero hid, after he retired from the position of the Lord of Siltvelt. Now, meeting the man himself, it was almost certain that L’arc had found the wrong person to ask.</p>
<p>Unexpectedly, Naofumi drummed his fingers along the table, nodding as he processed the information he was given. He reminded him of the Naofumi he first met when he was deep in thought: silent, calculating and stoic. Though not so much as the last one, but he could tell this blue Naofumi wouldn’t hesitate to make decisions even if it meant taking lives.</p>
<p>Naofumi crossed his arms, leaning on the back of his chair. It creaked under his weight, but it held up. “So, the Waves in that world aren’t over?”</p>
<p>“No. They’ve barely survived the third. The other three heroes aren’t skilled to handle themselves at all.”</p>
<p>“That <em>is</em> a problem,” Naofumi agreed, a dark aura gathering around him as he recalled L’arc’s elaboration of the other him’s false trial. L’arc tried to keep himself steady. He knew the face of a killer, and he could be one. “But I hope that I’ll be capable of reminding them where they belong.”</p>
<p>L’arc felt as if he was talking to a violent and bloody version of Therese.</p>
<p>“So, you agree?”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded, standing to his feet. He stretched his limbs, but he was still shorter than L’arc. <em>Was this version shorter? Maybe</em>. He was a whole head below the redheaded scythe user, but he decided not to point that out. Talking about height differences is a taboo around Naofumi, no matter which universe.</p>
<p>“My work in this world is done anyway,” he said. “There’s no harm in helping people, right? Even if I don’t know them.”</p>
<p>L’arc tried to keep a neutral expression as he nodded to those statements. He was used to Naofumi looking for profit whenever he went, so hearing his face saying that kindness was something that should be given for others was alarming. He shuddered.</p>
<p>“Alright,” L’arc said, though a bit anxious. “But you have to be subtle. Don’t give away your position or where you came from.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded. The shield on his arm shifted in a small burst of light, changing to one that L’arc recognized as the Spirit Tortoise’s power, but in the same of a shield. It had a dark circular brim, his sapphire jewel at the top, and the majority of the centre had a dome-like crystal, the colour similar to the sky.</p>
<p>“I travelled to other universes before, but I’ve never been to a parallel one,” Naofumi admitted, his fingers moving in air. L’arc could tell he was checking on his status screen, one that he couldn’t see. “It doesn’t mention anything about it, but since you’re here, I figured that it’s possible.”</p>
<p>L’arc shrugged. “The Vassal Weapons are more flexible than the Cardinal ones,” was all he could say.</p>
<p>Naofumi chortled. He let his arm down by his side, and his shield turned back to its original form. He turned to L’arc, his eyebrow raised.</p>
<p>“Well?” he demanded. “Are we going or not?”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes we are.” L’arc unsheathed his scythe, the red jewel on the hilt gleaming. He faced an empty area of the cottage, careful to be away from anything fragile. He raised his blade, and swung it down once, the jewel glowing scarlet as it literally slashed open the fabric of reality, opening a clawed portal that revealed a whole new world.</p>
<p>L’arc smirked, satisfied that he didn’t mess up. Travelling between different universes always unnerved him, but he was ecstatic when he arrived in a new world. New world, new adventures, and new people to fight. But this wasn’t an adventure for him. It was a journey to try to fix his mistakes.</p>
<p>“Royalty first,” he gestured towards the portal, grinning at the shorter male.</p>
<p>Naofumi sighed, but his smile was still on his face, like he’s heard the joke tens and thousands of times. Still, he played along, bowing slightly and folded his arm behind his back, his other waving to the dimensional gateway. “Age before beauty.”</p>
<p>“Do I really look that old to you?” L’arc muttered, walking through the portal. As soon as he stepped across the gate, he felt a blast of hot air hit his skin. He looked around to see they were near Castle Town, where the heroes first started their journey.</p>
<p>Without hesitation, Naofumi followed him through. He grunted as he shielded his eyes from the sun, squinting as he stared forward to the busy markets. “You’re like an old man.”</p>
<p>“Hardy har. Very funny,” L’arc snapped back. “Well, this is Melromarc. We need to get you suited up before anything else. Where’s the blacksmith?”</p>
<p>Next to him, Naofumi turned strangely quiet. While L’arc was expecting an answer, he got none, and instead, the Shield Hero was looking like he was a deer placed in headlights, not knowing what to do.</p>
<p>“Kidd—Naofumi, you alright there?”</p>
<p>“I—I—” Naofumi stuttered, looking nothing like the scheming person he saw before. His face was flushed red with embarrassment, and he looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole. “I don’t know—I haven’t stepped into Melromarc for years—”</p>
<p>L’arc stared at him. “You’re not kidding, are you.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded sheepishly, chuckling deliriously as if he were a toddler caught in the act of sneaking out of his house.</p>
<p>“Well!” L’arc slid his scythe onto his back, ready for a long day. “It’s time for you to go do you!”</p>
<p>“Huh?! Do what?!”</p>
<p>“Threaten people for information, of course!”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Eeeeh!?”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Armour</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sometimes, L’arc forgets that he’s a wanted criminal. It’s a difficult concept to grasp, especially if his supposed victim was walking alongside him, even if it was a different person altogether. Clad in cloaks each, they waltzed through the busy streets of Castle Town, searching straight for their intended destination. Naofumi, who was just as clueless and lost as L’arc was, volunteered to ask for directions. However, L’arc stopped him, once again mentioning that his face is well-known, and he was dead. Naofumi shut up after that.</p>
<p>They did attract odd glances their way, but they were quickly brushed off. Cloaked figures were common, as many adventurers were keen on keeping their identity on the down low in case their enemies would come after them. Even without the monsters wanting their lives, some adventurers saw this line of work as competition, and would go as far as to eliminate their opponents. It was a dark side L’arc saw when he first stepped into this world. He wondered if the same thing happened back in his.</p>
<p>Naofumi did well to hide his shield. At first glance, no one should recognize him as the Shield Hero. The first thing they would search for is a default scowl, but this Naofumi always held a gentle smile no matter where he went. That alone was enough to ward suspecting people off guard, but L’arc wasn’t the same. His face was on posters everywhere, with bounties on his head.</p>
<p><em>Damn</em>. L’arc thought, walking past a wanted poster with his face on it. It was pinned on a pole of a moving shop, the paper fluttering in the wind. Below it was posters of Glass and Therese, but they weren’t here. They were back at his world, and if they knew what he was pulling off, he would be grounded ’til the next century. He was not keen on having his scythe privileges taken away from him, ever.</p>
<p>“You sure are famous around these parts,” Naofumi joked, glancing over to another set of posters plastered on a window. All of them were inaccurate depictions, but even a toddler could put two-and-two together fast enough to figure out that it was him. “Wonder what you did to get your face around town.”</p>
<p>L’arc groaned. “Oh, shut up.”</p>
<p>With his unshielded arm, the raven-haired man pulled his hood lower, his sapphire eyes sliding towards a building with no name. His lip quirked at its mere sight, his footsteps coming to a halt, rubber soles scraping on the dust-filled ground. Naofumi then held out his arm, his hand cinching L’arc’s shoulder for his attention, which he got with a confused expression.</p>
<p>Naofumi shrugged a shoulder, gesturing towards the nameless shop. The glass outside was barred with a metal pattern, but if he squinted, he could see the weapons and armour displayed within. If they walked without so much as focusing, they would have missed it in total.</p>
<p>“How’d you find it?” L’arc asked, amazed. He stood at the front of the door, wondering whether to step in or not. There were posters stuck at the wooden entrance, with nails nailed into each edge of the paper.</p>
<p>The Shielder reached for the door, his fingers brushing on the rough surface, as if he were sharing the same doubt as L’arc. His face was mostly hidden by his hood, but L’arc could see the small smile rising on his lips, like it had been a place where there were irreplaceable memories that started inside. <em>It’s near the palace, after all</em>. L’arc shouldn’t be surprised that this was the first weapon shop Naofumi ever visited, hence the possible nostalgia.</p>
<p>“I remember coming here, after Motoyasu saved me from those guards,” he confessed. “When Princess Malty tried to accuse me of rape.”</p>
<p>“So that’s where the rumours started,” L’arc guessed. “At least, it happened in both worlds, then.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded. “More or less,” he agreed, pushing open the door, much to L’arc’s surprise. The bell atop the door jingled with a lively tune, echoing throughout the small space of iron and steel. Light poured in from the outside, brighter than the beams casting from the windows. To L’arc, it was like a warm cottage, resembling Naofumi’s, except Naofumi’s small cottage didn’t have weapons hanging on every crevice of the wall.</p>
<p>Without regard for safety, Naofumi was the person to step foot inside the shop, then turned towards L’arc, holding the door open for him. The scythe user sighed but smirked as a response. Kiddo—<em>no</em>, Naofumi—always managed to throw him off with his unpredictable behaviour. He took his invitation and followed his footsteps, walking in so Naofumi could close the door as he entered, the faint ringing chime hanging long enough for a bulky man to step out from the back room, stumbling to the counter.</p>
<p>“Welcome to the shop. Name’s Erhard. What can I get ya?” the man introduced himself, grinning at them like they were returning costumers.</p>
<p>L’arc noticed that Naofumi’s body tensed, but not defensively; or rather, it was excitement and recognition of a familiar face in a foreign world, like seeing an acquaintance in a place that he did not know, the equivalent of an anchor weighing him down to the world that he was used to. Moreover, it was more of a relief than anything else.</p>
<p>“We’ll just have a look around for now,” L’arc cut in, sensing that Naofumi had acquainted with this blacksmith. He didn’t have the knowledge on whether the dead Naofumi was friendly with the man, especially when another Naofumi could confirm it, but at a numberless price. People’s reactions always entertained L’arc, especially ones he’d gotten from aloof people, but this in particular was one he dreaded.</p>
<p>At his words, Naofumi calmed himself and headed towards the nearest wall of hanging shields, his reflection shining back at him from the metal, in an angle where L’arc could see clearly. His eyes were widened in amazement, but not from the products, as he was casting discreet glances towards the shop owner, whose arms were crossed as he watched their every movement. Perhaps to catch them whether if they’re stealing.</p>
<p>L’arc headed towards Naofumi, leaning close to him as he whispered, “You know him? From your world, I mean.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded, smiling sheepishly. “Yeah. He’s the only one that believed my innocence, other than Motoyasu.”</p>
<p>The redhead frowned. He’s been mentioning <em>Motoyasu</em> a lot. Wasn’t he the Spear Hero? From what L’arc could see, Naofumi was practically worshipping him, and it would be concerning in their predicament, especially when the Motoyasu in this world was too far up his own ass. He wondered when push came to shove, Naofumi couldn’t bring himself to fight the person who saved him, even if they were completely different people from the very beginning.</p>
<p>“How close were you?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know, to be honest. I haven’t seen him in a few years ever since the Wave’s over. I haven’t seen anybody at all.”</p>
<p>“You don’t like company?”</p>
<p>“Hmm, no. People are a pain to handle,” Naofumi admitted, his hand reaching out to the shield in front of him. It was a rectangular shield, with metal brimming and a coarse surface that looked to be unpolished stone. From the looks of it, it was heavy and firm, unlike most shields that are light and easy to carry. He chuckled lightly, but there was no humour. “It’s tiring—after being treated as a glass statue and a god for so long… I’d given up living in society because of it.”</p>
<p>L’arc didn’t know whether if it was his imagination, but when Naofumi said it, he couldn’t bring himself to raise his head, his eyes sticking to his boots. There was a smile, but it was a sad one, like he couldn’t find a reason to even feel sorrow to begin with. Or rather, his reasons were ridiculed by others, frequently claiming, <em>You’re a king! You have power, riches and women. There’s no need to be sad!</em> and giving him a pat on the back. Then, he would most likely laugh and scratch his head, and nod to falsely agree with them.</p>
<p>But that was all fake, wasn’t it? L’arc looked away, seeing his own reflection on another shield. He couldn’t bring himself to meet his own eyes, either. This Naofumi wasn’t as different as the one he killed. Both of them had given up on something that they wanted to have, only to discover it was gold coated with poison, venom disguised as nectar. Their smiles, when tired, were precisely alike. If this Naofumi had green eyes instead of blue, they would be the exact same person.</p>
<p>He just wondered if this Naofumi sought the same destiny as his counterpart.</p>
<p>“What kind of armour do you need?” Naofumi asked suddenly, snapping him out of his stupor. “I don’t need any. My defence stats can protect me enough.”</p>
<p>L’arc turned to him. “It’s not about defence. If you’re going to show up in front of <em>his</em> former party, especially when they’re so young, you need to ease their minds a little.”</p>
<p>Naofumi frowned. “But that’s just going to be crueller, isn’t it?” he muttered. “Especially after I leave. Did you think this through?”</p>
<p>Like always, L’arc did not think this through. Wars and fights were one thing, but this was another can of worms he wasn’t willing to open.</p>
<p>“We’ll talk about that later.” L’arc crossed his arms. “You need the exact same armour that <em>he</em> had, and if you know this guy, it’s a good guess that he’s the one that made it.”</p>
<p>“So, you want to walk up to him and ask, <em>Can you remake the Shield Hero’s armour for us</em>? Aren’t you supposed to be the unsuspecting one when it comes to different worlds?”</p>
<p>“Look, this is the first time I’ve dealt with this—”</p>
<p><em>“Oi.”</em> The two simultaneously whipped towards the burly man, whose arms were crossed as he wore a suspecting expression on his face. His glare was on them, like he’d caught on their conversation. “Are you two here to buy something, or are you here to loiter?”</p>
<p>As a war veteran, as someone who’s fought the Waves personally, as someone who’s defeated the Three Stooges in one swing, L’arc had completely forgotten the Shopkeeper’s presence, despite being in the same room with him. While L’arc tensed, he witnessed Naofumi die a little on the inside, his default-grinning expression resembling one who’d connected with the heavens themselves as their soul left their body. That or he just didn’t care anymore.</p>
<p>“Any reason for wearing those?” Erhard continued, his glare more prominent than before. He sounded like he’s had enough people holding councils and heart-to-hearts in his shop. “You mind if you take ’em off?”</p>
<p>L’arc hissed, his shoulder whipping towards the exit, but a firm hand stopped him. He glanced over to Naofumi in confusion, then noticing the small burst of light coming from his shield, a gentle golden hue emitting underneath his cloak. Naofumi shook his head, warning him not to do anything rash, then turned towards the Shopkeeper, pulling his hood down.</p>
<p>If L’arc had any less self-control, he would have screamed at him.</p>
<p>“Oh, sorry about that!” Naofumi apologized cheerily, sporting long and luscious pink carnation hair that led down to his lower back. “We’re new around here, so we’re trying to find our way around.”</p>
<p>L’arc felt his heart drum up to his throat, his teeth clenched so hard it might crack. Naofumi’s silhouette was no longer a man’s, but rather a petite woman with dark wings on his back. His skin was paler, and his clothes underneath changed, revealing delicate ruffles underneath the brown cloak. His voice had changed as well, but it was unfitting to his mature appearance; it was chirpy but calm, light but with depth.</p>
<p>Besides, Naofumi wasn’t lying, either. They were as lost as the Spear Hero’s capability of finding a girl.</p>
<p>At this, the blacksmith nodded, scratching his chin with a hand. “You a demihuman, kid? Sorry about the tone. There’s a lot happening around here lately; warrants and all.”</p>
<p>Naofumi giggled. From L’arc’s view, he could only see Naofumi’s back, but his wariness was growing. Naofumi can cast illusions? Was it a power of the Shield? If so, then he was almost grateful that he killed Naofumi before, and not after—he would have been too much for him to handle, too crafty and too many factors at his disposal.</p>
<p>L’arc squashed the thought down, his gaze darkening as guilt finally caught up to him. <em>I can’t think that</em>, he chided himself, his arm urging to swing his scythe to vent his frustration. <em>But it’s to save my world</em>, a selfish part of him continued, which he pinched his own arm for.</p>
<p><em>I helped someone commit suicide</em>.</p>
<p>L’arc felt a pair of slender arms curl around his biceps, shockingly lacking in warmth and leaning towards a dying person’s. His eyes shot towards the body that was suddenly nestled close to him, tensing as he stared into a pair of azure eyes framed by pink hair. “Eh, what’s wrong, big brother?” Naofumi’s illusion asked. He turned towards Erhard, beaming. “Don’t worry about him! He’s just shy to strangers.”</p>
<p>Naofumi’s acting skills were certainly something to be praised for. L’arc wondered how many times that Naofumi had to act as the opposite gender, especially in the form of a demihuman.</p>
<p>Erhard nodded, but there was still lingering doubt in his eyes. He won’t be convinced until L’arc pulls his own hood down, but it could never happen. He didn’t have illusion spells like Naofumi did.</p>
<p>Then Naofumi pulled his hood down, the warm air suddenly brushing against his hair and face. <em>Oh shit—</em></p>
<p>“See? He’s as red as a balloon!” Naofumi giggled, pointing at L’arc’s face. He turned to L’arc, tapping his nose gently. “You need to man up! What’s going to happen to you if I’m not around?”</p>
<p>L’arc whipped towards the Shopkeeper, expecting eyes widening and screams for guards, but the man nodded, grinning as he scratched his bald head with a gloved hand. on his arm, L’arc could feel Naofumi’s hands tighten around his bicep, his palms sweating as his fingers contracted, like he couldn’t believe the lie he was telling. Despite his initial anxiousness, Naofumi kept a cheerful smile on his face, reminding L’arc of a new enthusiastic adventurer.</p>
<p>“Yeah, haha…” L’arc muttered, turning to the shields in vexation. No one—with the exception of his friends—dared to come close to him before, much less touch him. His attack stat was too high for any of them to handle, especially with his scythe still on his back. (To be honest, Glass was hostile to <em>everyone</em>.) And now when Naofumi came so close to him, he could feel his skin humming with magic. <em>The power of the Shield</em>, he realized, and accompanied with his absurdly high levels. Even if it was mulled over by crossing into different dimensions, his level was visibly higher than L’arc’s. Even if his 289 levels were cut to half, that was still higher than anyone in this world.</p>
<p>Never mind hurting him, he wondered whether if he could even make a simple scratch on Naofumi. Perhaps Naofumi’s passive abilities would have killed L’arc before he could inflict the slightest bit of damage to his health.</p>
<p>“So, are you going to buy anything? I don’t appreciate adventurers using my shop as a conference room.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded, letting go of L’arc’s arm. “Of course! My brother has a specific design he has, but he’s too scared to ask you for custom armour. After all, it’s a lot of work, and we don’t want to bother you if you have other customers!” The words spilled from his tongue like he practised beforehand. With only Defence to his name, Naofumi was forced to search for alternatives in battle. This was one of them. How many fights has he won just with his voice? L’arc would believe him if he said a hundred.</p>
<p>Erhard crossed his arms. “It depends on the design, and the rarity of the materials. But if you can provide me with the fundamentals, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.”</p>
<p>At that, L’arc felt Naofumi’s stare fall onto him like the burning gaze of a phoenix. Stiffly, he craned his neck towards the counter, his tongue barely feeling like his own. “Can I have a piece of paper and a pen? I’d much rather draw it out.”</p>
<p>Erhard grunted, before leaning down and opening drawers. The sounds of objects shuffling on wood and parchment parroted in the small space, and soon he dug out a piece of paper with a stick of charcoal wrapped in cloth. He handed it to L’arc, who fumbled as he accepted it.</p>
<p>“Now, go find somewhere else to make your design,” Erhard declared, closing the drawers. “You’re disturbing business.”</p>
<p>“Yes, sir!” L’arc felt an arm hook around his elbow, beginning to drag him out. “Sorry about the disturbance! We’ll pay you back!”</p>
<p>As Naofumi towed the scythe user out of the shop, L’arc caught a brief reflection on the shields, his own foreign face peering back at him. His jawline was slimmer, his hair longer, a mix of silver and grey. A pair of dog ears poked through his hair. The face was familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he saw it in his adventures.</p>
<p>The abuse stopped when they turned into a dark alley, the illusions around them dropping like golden snow. Naofumi released a sigh, his back shoved on the cement wall, his hand holding his forehead like he was suffering from a migraine. Before they got here, they were receiving many dirty looks from the civilians, their eyes repulsed by the very idea of demihumans walking on the same street as they were.</p>
<p>“That was a close one,” Naofumi breathed. His shield changed back to its original one. “Thank the lord I had an illusion shield unlocked. Most of them are sealed, but the basics are still here…”</p>
<p>Across him, L’arc was staring at the stationery in his hand. He cupped his chin in thought, his brow furrowing as he tried to remember the exact design. He looked up when Naofumi mentioned his shield. “What level are you on now?” he asked. “Your level should be reset when you get transported here.”</p>
<p>Naofumi glanced at him in acknowledgement and stared into space. Seconds later, his eye twitched, his smile finally cracking into a concerned twist.</p>
<p>“My level’s cut down a few.” Naofumi didn’t react when L’arc’s eyes widened in surprise. “But only three. Must be a side-effect of coming to a different universe. But other than that, all my skills are intact.” He sighed. “This is like starting a new game in godmode and cheats.”</p>
<p>L’arc had no idea what he just said, but he didn’t look too excited by the idea itself, like the very thought of it was depressing to the point of silence.</p>
<p>“Well, big guy,” Naofumi said, grinning at him as he folded his arms on his chest. “Better start sketching. We don’t have all day.”</p>
<p>L’arc scoffed. “I’m a fighter; not an artist.” He said that, but he still starts drawing the gist of it anyway. Naofumi watched him throughout the process, his frown growing deeper and deeper as he realized how useless of an artist L’arc truly is. The man may be a king, but he was not an artistic individual. At least, for the first time, he wasn’t exaggerating.</p>
<p>When he was finished, he gave Naofumi something that looked like a toddler’s thrown-up lunch that was smudged on a table using a frazzled toothbrush. Overall, it looked sad. Sadder than any of Naofumi’s days alone.</p>
<p>“It’s great. You did your best.” Naofumi patted his back, stilling wearing that casual, gentle smile. L’arc could feel his judgemental mindset working its gears in his head without even seeing a sign of it on his face. Naofumi frowned, tracing his fingers on the lines. “I feel like I’ve seen this somewhere before. <em>Barbarian Armour</em>, is it?”</p>
<p>The shield on his arm changed, much to L’arc’s confusion. Naofumi stared into air for a split second, then his clothes began to change right before his eyes, his clothing deforming with the trace of blue fire.</p>
<p>Fern green fabric extended from his hood and stretched down to his ankles, held together by a simplified dragon charm, the collar lined with fur. It was clipped around a dark green collar with gold lining linked to a jacket underneath. On his chest was a curved metal breastplate with a sharp edge, covering his chainmail armour that reached to form fingerless gloves, fur lining below his elbows. Chainmail plates, lined with the same fur, was placed on his sides. The tip of his boots also sported the same fashion.</p>
<p>What’s more, was a small detail that L’arc didn’t notice in the past. It was a small, lavender crystal embedded on his chest, seeming more magical than any other part of the armour. It was shaped like a diamond, magic pulses radiating underneath.</p>
<p>“How did you—”</p>
<p>Naofumi stared at his palms, his fingers curling as if to test the versatility of this outfit. He seemed troubled by its bulkiness. “It’s an armour-changing shield. It lets me store whatever armour I want and it’s equipped automatically,” he explained, picking at his cloak. “Motoyasu drew this from memory and I made it myself. He said that I used to wear this from the ‘original’ timeline and apparently, he’s trying to get the perfect setting of Filo’s birth.”</p>
<p>“Filo? You mean the blonde filolial?”</p>
<p>“More or less. He didn’t manage to hatch her, even with my Modification Skills.” It took Naofumi seconds to realize what L’arc said. “This world’s Filo… is blonde? Blue eyes? White and blue dress with white wings?”</p>
<p>L’arc nodded.</p>
<p>Naofumi ran a hand through his hair. “Oh my god.” He didn’t look like Naofumi at all, without his trademark scowl and hateful eyes. The outfit was there, the defence was there, but whatever made Naofumi, well, <em>Naofumi</em>, was not. Some part of L’arc thanked whatever deity was up there for that.</p>
<p>God, he didn’t want to see that face again. At least, not like this.</p>
<p>L’arc sighed, watching Naofumi run through the possible outcomes in his head. If there was anything—<em>anything </em>at all he could do to redeem himself, to release this burden; to atone for his sin, he would walk through heaven and hell to accomplish it.</p>
<p>For now, he had to bring this Naofumi to Raphtalia and Filo. And the first step to do that is to find them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Just Listen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>L’arc kept his eyes on the burning embers as bright blue flames danced on the firewood like a performer’s ribbon. There was a half-empty bowl in his hand, carved from wood and polished smooth, with the remnants of his miso soup still warm and rich with flavour. The nights were cold, but hot food and fire kept him cosy. <em>Almost too cosy</em>, like he could fall asleep any moment, prompting him to curl up into a ball and lay by the campfire in peace. He hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since forever because he never felt the urge to. That all changed when he spent his first night in the woods with Naofumi.</p>
<p>Naofumi’s homemade meals and his preparations for camp was beyond his skill, and perhaps even understanding and beliefs. He’d asked L’arc to help him hunt a bunny or two, which was a relatively simple task for him, so he took up his scythe and left to the woods for a brief sweep for monsters. When he returned, spending barely an hour, Naofumi had already prepared their tent, cut up spices, caught a few fish from the river near them, roasting the fish on the fire, and made the base for their soup. This wasn’t some thrown-together scraps that kept their stomachs at bay. This was a full-course meal! His cooking would send his royal chefs home crying.</p>
<p>He wondered whether if the original Naofumi had similar culinary skills, but he doubted he could compare with this blue-eyed Naofumi’s groundwork. He’d made it so it didn’t even resemble a temporary camp, but rather a place where they were going to settle down and live for the rest of their lives.</p>
<p>By the tent, Naofumi had set up a string tied to two trees. There was a familiar green cloak hanging on the line, held in place by wooden pegs. Judging from their appearance, they were also crafted by Naofumi himself. Did this man have any limits?</p>
<p>L’arc snuck a discreet glance at Naofumi, who was already lying in his makeshift tent, swaddled up in blankets and sound asleep. He used his shield arm as a pillow, occasionally releasing soft snores as he tried to make himself comfortable in the bulky armour he was wearing. Overall, he didn’t look or act like a hero at all. If anything, he was a housewife. Maybe that was the side-effect of talking about Motoyasu in almost every sentence. He hoped to god they weren’t a couple. Because 1) that is beyond weird; and 2) the Motoyasu in this universe is eternally stupid.</p>
<p>Perhaps it’s wrong of him to even think of such a plan in the beginning. He never thought this through, and Naofumi’s words were proof of that. <em>But that’s just going to be crueller, isn’t it? </em>He’d said to him in that blacksmith’s shop. <em>Especially after I leave</em>. Usually, L’arc was confident in his decisions, always following through his plans. But now, that confidence was wavering, and he couldn’t see how everything will play out. Not everything was a battle to be won. Sometimes, he just needed to survive to win, but there’s no winning nor losing in this. No one would emerge as a victor, but there was a possibility where everyone would be emotionally damaged.</p>
<p>Sighing, he brought the bowl up to his mouth and gulped it down, the cooled soup barely on par with the chilly nights. The fire was still burning bright, draping him with a gentle, blue hue. It was the colour of ice, of the cold oceans, but it was warm and comforting; like Naofumi’s eyes. There wasn’t a sense of wrong in him, not a trace of evil or malice. But whenever he’s scheming, those same eyes were glacial; sinking ships and arguments before they even started.</p>
<p>No matter which Naofumi L’arc knew, none of them were fully intact.</p>
<p>He stood from the log and headed towards the river to wash his bowl. Any other cutlery was already taken care of, courtesy of the Shield Hero, so it was a simple task. He saw chores as a hindrance, but Naofumi completed them like second nature. He was too tame, far too mellow for someone who’d seen wars and bloodshed first-hand.</p>
<p>He knelt down at the river. Instead of washing the only dish in his hand, he stared at his reflection sombrely. There were bags under his eyes, and he could barely remember the last time he could relax. His skin was paler, and he might be skinnier, despite training every day. Was one particular death enough to crumple him? He never realized how big of the impact it would bring. As a vassal hero, death and carnage was not foreign to him. He’s killed armies singlehandedly without a moment’s hesitation. He was the king with an army. He defeated a Wave Boss singlehandedly.</p>
<p><em>One death was enough to destroy his soul</em>.</p>
<p>L’arc groaned and sank to the grass in frustration. The bowl was left discarded on his side. He grabbed at his hair, fingernails digging into his scalp, eyes wide at his own distraught expression. He looked like a mess. Gone was the enthusiastic, optimistic king that assured crowds of people with a simple smile; and here was the conflicted man who could barely think straight late at night.</p>
<p>Not one day would pass where he wouldn’t think of Naofumi’s dying face. The look of satisfaction and contempt. He was at peace when he died, but why was L’arc so torn up? Why had it been the one to break him? There was blood on his hands. Innocent blood. A colour red that kept someone alive, yet he’d taken it away with a simple swing of his scythe. This world was dying, anyway, so why did he care? Not even Naofumi, who was summoned as the Shield Hero, claimed he refused to protect this world he was called into.</p>
<p>
  <em>Why?</em>
</p>
<p>A shuffle behind him. “Couldn’t sleep yet?”</p>
<p>L’arc whipped around, surprised that he didn’t see him coming. In his momentary shock, he accidentally knocked the bowl into the flowing river. It fell into the water with a moderate splurge, then it was swept away by the currents. He didn’t have time to feel particularly sorry for the loss of a piece of cutlery, but it didn’t belong to him. “Uh, sorry about that. I’ll go get it—” He stumbled to his feet, but a firm hand was placed on his shoulder, coaxing him back down. Then he felt a warm blanket was thrown on him. He turned to Naofumi in confusion.</p>
<p>Naofumi settled down next to him, his hair serving better as a rat’s nest than something that grew on the human head. He’d taken off his armour, so he was only wearing the collared, long-sleeved shirt underneath. There was also a blanket around his shoulders, but it was smaller and thinner than the one on L’arc. He wasn’t looking at the redhead but keeping his eyes respectfully on the riverbed across them.</p>
<p>“It’s fine. I can just make another one,” he said softly, rubbing his eyes. He held the blanket around him tighter like a child. There was a brief silence, of which L’arc couldn’t unclench his muscles. Apparently, Naofumi noticed this. “Do you want to talk about it?”</p>
<p>L’arc glanced at him. “Talk?”</p>
<p>“Whatever’s troubling you,” he suggested. “You said you killed another me, so are you uncomfortable seeing my face? I can cast an illusion with my shields, if you prefer it.”</p>
<p>“No, no—it’s alright.” L’arc breathed out of his nose, finally relaxing himself. It felt good to talk to someone, and they were asking him how he was doing. He was never good at keeping things inside, and besides, they were from different worlds. Naofumi would go back to a world where L’arc and Therese never existed. “It’s just, I killed armies before, but <em>his</em> death just never sat right with me.”</p>
<p>Naofumi hummed as a reply, waiting for him to continue.</p>
<p>“He was the one that asked me to kill him. I figured… if we were going to fight anyway, we might as well do it fair-and-square, one-on-one,” he muttered, expression growing dark. “But instead, he just got to his knees, and offered his neck to me. My world was dying, I had no choice but to do it. It’s haunted me since.”</p>
<p>Up until this point, L’arc was partially worried what Naofumi’s perspective of him would be. Would he see him as a murderer? Someone whose hands would never be clean, no matter how many times he washes them or how hard he tries to cover it up. Personally, L’arc didn’t want Naofumi to see him as a friend, as someone close. He didn’t deserve that trust or friendship.</p>
<p>To his surprise, Naofumi nodded, sniffling as he turned to L’arc, the dim lights of the campfire barely reaching here. The fires’ dim flames blended in with Naofumi’s eyes, but they brought out the clarity within it. They were too pure to be true, and L’arc believed that it was the case. This man was not pure nor was he tame. There was a beast in him, waiting to be unleashed if given the motivation.</p>
<p>“If it’s from me, also an Iwatani Naofumi,” he declared, though his voice was gentle and comforting, “I wouldn’t blame you. No matter what happens, I won’t hate you for what you did. After all, you’re so torn up about it, and you’re trying so hard to make amends. I think <em>he’s</em> already forgiven you, before the blade even touched his skin.” He was silent for a while, then drew in a deep breath. “<em>We</em> forgive you.”</p>
<p>L’arc stared at him, shock inducing his word comprehension capabilities. <em>We forgive you</em>. The sentence was so simple, so straightforward, and no hidden meanings, no other way to it. L’arc was never one for waterworks, but he found his nose crinkling, his eyes squinting as he tried to blink his tears back. He buried his face in his hands, trying to avoid Naofumi’s gaze, even if the man wasn’t looking at him. Naofumi had turned away the moment he heard the first sniffle.</p>
<p>He felt a hand on his back, rubbing gentle circles. L’arc felt like a child being comforted by his mother, and he’s never met her. He suppressed his sobs the best he could, clenching his teeth to stop any croaks escaping his throat. He was grateful for the tranquillity and isolation of the woods. Showing weakness in any form wasn’t something he should do, but he was thankful that Naofumi was the only one that saw him.</p>
<p>Naofumi’s placid comfort lasted for a few moments longer, acting as an anchor to L’arc’s self-destruction. He could feel the man shaking. The blanket fell off his shoulders, his scarlet hair a complete mess. He didn’t say anything until he calmed down, heaving shallow sighs as he avoided eye contact.</p>
<p>“You know,” Naofumi started, glancing at the side of L’arc’s face, “back in my world, I didn’t really do much.”</p>
<p>L’arc’s voice was hoarse, but he managed a reply. “How so?” he said. “You used to be a king, no?”</p>
<p>Naofumi chuckled bitterly. “No. Not officially, anyway.” He looked down to his boots. “Motoyasu is always demanding me to stay back when he goes out and fight the Waves. If anything, I feel more of a trophy wife than a hero.”</p>
<p>If L’arc wasn’t so miserable, he would have laughed. Still, he was intrigued by his choice of wording, so maybe he’s also realized his behaviour of acting as one. Or maybe it was just a habit from being stuck in the backlines for so long.</p>
<p>“He would always be following me or telling one of his fillolials to do it. Mostly Sakura, though,” Naofumi grumbled. He sounded agitated, which was a first for him. “He trusts those birds more than me, sadly. Even Sakura won’t leave my side. I’m thankful for him saving me and all, but all I do is help make dinner and set up camp for his angels and him while they go hunt somewhere. If that’s not a housewife, what am I? Even my levels are raised by riding on a fillolial for hours a day. It’s not just them either. Even <em>Keel</em>, my <em>slave</em>, doesn’t let me protect him. If anyone’s useless, it’s me.”</p>
<p>Naofumi cracked a sorrowful grin, turning to L’arc. “Maybe you found the wrong person for this, after all.”</p>
<p>“Well,” L’arc says, trying to find the right words, “I know from experience that leading a kingdom is never easy. You handled it pretty well. When I was looking for you, I’ve never seen a country so at peace and joyful before.”</p>
<p>“I had Motoyasu around me. He has this <em>Enemy Detection Spear</em> that attacks people that tries to cause trouble.” Naofumi had his blanket covering his head now. He looked like a toddler throwing a tantrum after their parents didn’t let them have ice-cream for breakfast. In this case, however, the parents would be Motoyasu, and the ice-cream was Naofumi’s freedom. “Everything I accomplished is always thanks to Motoyasu. I don’t hate him, and he’s doing what’s best for me and the world, but sometimes I just want some alone time.”</p>
<p>“Do… you want a reply, or do you want me to just listen?”</p>
<p>“Just listen.”</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>Naofumi released a hefty grunt. “Even during the Waves, because I’m their God or Lord or whatever, no one lets me do anything. <em>Stay in the castle where it’s safe</em>, they said. <em>We can’t afford to let you get hurt</em>. I was summoned to this world to save it, not stay indoors with a bunch of naked women who are trying to seduce me!”</p>
<p>Even if Naofumi said he wanted a reply, L’arc had nothing to say. He was utterly speechless.</p>
<p>When L’arc first met him, he assumed that Naofumi was battle-hardened judging purely on his levels and the look in his eyes. Yes, Naofumi was definitely a strategist and a schemer, but what he didn’t notice at the time was his build. Compared to the Naofumi in this world, he was average. Fit, but not as strong as a hero should be. He overlooked battle, but never been in a war. But L’arc wondered if fighting him would be just as dangerous as the other one.</p>
<p>“Sorry to dump this all on you.” Naofumi abruptly stood to his feet, catching his dropping blanket with an outstretched arm. L’arc looked up at him, and realized the gaze in his eyes had turned ice-cold. Framed with the blue hue of the fire, they looked like they were glowing. It had turned a bright celeste blue, like the person behind them was replaced by another. “Get some rest. You look like you need it.” He turned on his heels, and retreated to his tent, then he was silent for the rest of the night.</p>
<p>The next morning, both of them looked absolutely horrid. If there were any birds nearby, they would mistake their hair as a potential nest, mating and laying eggs and all that.</p>
<p>Naofumi worked on autopilot, making a brief breakfast of tea on rice using leftover meat and tea. He was cooking rice over the fire, absentmindedly chopping the slab of meat into strips with a sharp knife, his hands moving swiftly and professionally as each one was even and smooth. There was no danger of him injuring himself, but some part of him was worried that the knife might snap into half when it accidentally cut his finger. L’arc, meanwhile, was off freshening himself at the river, splashing water on his face.</p>
<p>After last night’s impromptu heart-to-heart, neither of them had the energy to carry on a decent conversation that would last more than seconds. Naofumi handed a steaming bowl of chazuke to L’arc, who’d nodded as a thanks as he sat on the log across him. The food was delicious, but there was a gnawing suspicion at the back of his mind. L’arc knew it was just a simple chazuke, but it tasted too bland, almost like there was no flavour in it. He passed it off as a fragment of imagination and continued eating.</p>
<p>When he was done, however, he glanced at Naofumi, who had barely started eating his own fill. Had he already went for seconds? There was still a decent amount left in the pot, cooking over a small fire to keep warm. Naofumi was hunched over, elbow resting on his thigh as he held his head with his hand. Perhaps he was having a migraine from his sleep being disturbed last night. L’arc felt guilty about keeping him up, but there was nothing he could do about it, or say anything to make him feel better. They could always stop by some shops to get some healing potions if they needed.</p>
<p>In the end, Naofumi poured his share back into the pot. After asking L’arc if he wanted seconds, which he didn’t, he shut it with a lid and put out the fire. His shield had changed to one that looked like a purple-coloured fire, and it absorbed the flames back into its sapphire jewel.</p>
<p>“I saw a village nearby when I was making dinner last night,” Naofumi said, cautiously putting the pot on a flat surface. “I’ll give this to people in need.”</p>
<p>“You sure have a heart of gold, don’t you, ki—” L’arc stopped himself. <em>“Naofumi,”</em> he corrected himself, any joking mood he had was lost.</p>
<p>Naofumi stared at him but said nothing. Wordlessly, he unclipped the cloak from the line and slid it over his shoulder, but he didn’t put on any other armour pieces. He was only wearing the collared sweater, pants and boots underneath, while the rest of his set was tucked away in his tent.</p>
<p>“I’ll make it quick,” Naofumi promised, the shield on his arm changing forms. In an instant, a golden light surrounded his figure, and his appearance changed instantaneously. Long, carnation hair fell past his shoulders and ran down his back, his inner clothing changing to a dress. He was barefoot, but it was easily covered by the forest green cloak. His pair of dark grey wings was also hidden under the cloth, but it still protruded slightly. It was the first time L’arc had seen this skill without any hindrance, which Naofumi’s blue eyes remained even as another figure.</p>
<p>Picking up the pot by its handles, Naofumi headed deeper into the forest, towards the location of the village he’d seen. L’arc remembered being here last time, but he didn’t recall any villages nearby. All he’d seen were ruins and destroyed homes, tombstones littering across the grounds. He remembered it looked like a post-apocalyptic world, where no one bothered to restore it.</p>
<p>L’arc sighed, holding up his scythe, the metal blade glinting under the rising sunlight. Then, he headed straight towards the darker parts, and began hunting for monsters to kill.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Naofumi kept his eyes on the end of the path, where the trees would end. The warm pot in his hand wasn’t heavy by any means, but it was a hindrance. He was still in the woods, after all, and he’s never been by himself before. If he was attacked, he wasn’t confident that he would be capable of protecting this pot of chazuke while fending off the attacker. He had absolutely <em>zero</em> attack, after all.</p>
<p>Still, if the enemy were a magical-based monster, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. The only thing that made him stand out as a hero was his absurdly high Magic Defence. Once, hundreds of mages from Melromarc had tried to vanquish him using every spell known to mankind, but he was still standing with only half his health points lost. Granted, not all of the mages were powerful ones, but it was what made Siltvelt respect him more, but <em>that</em> wasn’t something to be happy over.</p>
<p>Naofumi sighed, walking forward. Maybe in this world he could start anew, but he would be walking in someone else’s shoes, continuing a dead man’s journey. It didn’t sit right with him, especially with the part where the other him had left two young party members behind. He wondered what could have driven him to make the decision to end his life once and for all.</p>
<p><em>Thud thud thud thud</em>.</p>
<p>He looked around in shock after hearing the sudden rush of footsteps. It was firm but fast, and at times uneven and releasing occasional shrieks from monsters. It sounded all too familiar to him, and it brought back unsightly flashbacks from the days before he became the Siltvelt’s lord. <em>Oh no</em>, he thought, as he heard it gradually growing louder and closer to him, the increasing stomps of claws feeling like it might run him over any second now.</p>
<p>Diving behind a nearby tree, he could feel the trunk vibrating, the leaves rustling in correspondence to the creature’s footsteps. He leaned closer to the estimated route of collision, waiting for a familiar monster to pass by, and to see the carnage and death it had unleashed upon the poor monsters of the forest. Within seconds of his hiding, a mass of white feathers flashed before his eyes, running deeper into the forest without noticing his presence.</p>
<p>“A fillolial queen?” Naofumi muttered, frowning. From what he knew, only Heroes can raise a fillolial into its angel stage, and it was from Motoyasu. He had no personal experience in the matter, but he’d interacted with enough fillolials to know that there must be another Hero nearby. Monsters don’t go far from their owners, after all, and it had been a fillolial queen. Was the Hero nearby? He didn’t want to find out. Some part of him wanted to head back to his temporary camp and head out to find the two girls, but he was already out here. Might as well get the job done.</p>
<p>Besides, no one can recognize him. He’s in the form of a fillolial that doesn’t exist in this world. He made sure the fillolial queen was out of earshot and continued on his journey towards the village. From here, he could see the silhouettes of the tallest buildings, and scaffoldings around the nearest house. Maybe they’re repairing from any damage sustained from the Waves.</p>
<p>Once he was in the village, the amount of people around surprised him. There were essentially no adventurers, and most houses were still undergoing construction. It was still early with only a mere peek of sunlight, so there’s not many people outside, save for those who look like merchants and blacksmiths, setting up their shops for the day. But what shocked him the most was demihumans and humans coexisting. On his right, a snake demihuman girl was chatting away with a middle-aged woman. At the shop nearby, a pig demihuman man helped a man setting up supplies for another day’s worth of construction materials. There was no conflict, no slaves around. They lived together without discrimination or hierarchy.</p>
<p>It put Naofumi to shame. Back in the Siltvelt he lived in, he’d given up bringing peace between humans and demihumans. Most of the reason being Melromarc refused to listen to common sense and constantly declared war with him, giving him a horrible image of humans in general, despite being one himself. Maybe that’s what the past Shield Heroes were struggling with. The hate for Shield Heroes and demihumans passed down from generation to generation, and vice versa. Seeing the two races interact without conflict, it was certainly a shock to him. It’s also been a while since he saw another human being, not including L’arc.</p>
<p>The colour red and blue caught his eye, moving in the air. He trained his eyes upwards, and saw a flag hanging on a tall pole at the centre of the village. It didn’t look familiar to him.</p>
<p>
  <em>What is this place?</em>
</p>
<p>“Why, hello there!” greeted a cheerful voice. Naofumi whirled around and saw the snake girl and the woman walking towards him. It was the older woman that started the conversation. “Are you lost, by any chance? We haven’t seen you here before.”</p>
<p>Naofumi tensed, but he still put on a cheerful expression nonetheless. “Oh, me and my friend’s camping nearby, and we accidentally made too much food. So I decided to give the rest to anyone in need!” His acting was like second nature, but his motives were the same. If he could help anyone, he would do it, even if it was only a little.</p>
<p>The snake demihuman laughed, her chortle a hiss after another. “Oh, you wouldn’t find anyone in need here. You’re in Iwatani—the Shield Hero’s sanctuary for demihumans. Do you not recognize the flag?”</p>
<p><em>Iwatani</em>, his family name. This was the place where L’arc mentioned to him when he first met him, where the other him had renovated a town and his party member renamed it after him to honour his death. It felt odd, as they shared the same name, but he shook it off.</p>
<p>“Oh, no. I’ve been in different countries, so I don’t really keep up with news.” Naofumi smiled. He could get some basic information out of them. “Though, by any chance, is there a Hero nearby? I passed by a fillolial queen earlier…”</p>
<p>The older woman nodded, adjusting her mage cap. Naofumi couldn’t help but see her appearance as familiar; had he met her before? <em>Oh, yes</em>. In a magic shop in Castle Town. He remembered seeing her sitting behind the counter, writing in spellbooks and polishing glass balls, but he didn’t recall ever walking into the shop in the first place. Why did he have such a vivid memory of her?</p>
<p>“That’s the Shield Hero’s party member. She and the Tanuki are probably out there raising levels. They’ve been doing that ever since the Shield Hero died.” At the mention of his death, the woman’s face darkened with regret and grief. Did the other him know her personally? “If you don’t mind, I can help you give that breakfast to the poor orphans. It’s been getting difficult to cook for everyone, even with magic.”</p>
<p>The Tanuki and a Fillolial Queen, both former party members of the Shield Hero. Now that he’s gone, why were they so adamant about raising their levels? He only saw the fillolial, and he didn’t see the Tanuki. He doubted he could recognize her when they even met. But there were more pressing matters at the moment.</p>
<p>“Is there a food shortage here?” Naofumi asked, concerned. He’s never faced troubles with food, as Motoyasu, Sakura, Yuki, and Kuro were always on a hunting spree that could cause a species to go extinct. Naofumi had to stop them before they massacred the entire forest’s population, which only made him feel more like a wife with a simple-minded husband and three children with parent-complexes.</p>
<p>The snake demihuman shook her head. “No; on the contrary, we have plenty of food stock,” she said. “It’s just that there’s not enough spare people to cook them. Almost no one here has any experience in cooking, and one time, someone mixed poisonous mushrooms into the stew and everyone got sick afterwards. It happened a few days ago, and no one’s daring to even go near the kitchen.”</p>
<p>What was this Naofumi was feeling? Another calling to be a housewife? Certainly felt like it. For a fact, it’s not the first time he cooked for hundreds of people (or fillolials) but it has been a long time since he had to do so much work. Before he could decide, however, he’s already answered without knowing it.</p>
<p>“I can help!” Naofumi offered, beaming. “I’m not sure how good my cooking can be, but I’ve always cooked for my party members for years, so I’m used to cooking for hundreds of people.”</p>
<p><em>Damn his motherly instincts!</em> No wonder Motoyasu and Keel keeps calling him mom!</p>
<p>“Really?” The woman’s eyes widened. “It’s a lot of trivial work, and there’s plenty of people who can’t eat specific foods—especially the young and sick children. There’s not enough medicine to go around, either.”</p>
<p>“I can also help with that. I’ve also been making potions and healing salves.” If Naofumi had any sense of sanity or common sense left in him, he would curl up in his Shield Prison and cry himself a river. But he’s missed the feeling of a group enjoying his food, and a patient’s joyful face whenever they realized they’re healed. He missed that. He missed the days where he wasn’t a lord or a god, and just Iwatani Naofumi. “I won’t be charging anything! Please let me help!”</p>
<p>Facing his determination, the two women looked at him in surprise. Was it the first time someone outside had offered to help them? Honestly, Naofumi wouldn’t be surprised. If this Melromarc was anything like the one back home, they would positively despise the existence of a village where demihumans had rights.</p>
<p>Finally, the older woman found her voice. She smiled warmly at her, realizing her kindness was genuine. “If it’s not too much to ask, can you help make the children’s breakfast?” she requested. “I’m sure our leader wouldn’t mind giving you a salary.”</p>
<p>“Don’t!” Naofumi blurted, his face turning beet red. “I don’t need a salary. It’s only right to help. I just need to go back and tell my friend about this, first.” He thrust the pot onto the snake girl’s hands, and turned sharply on his heels back to the forest. “I’ll be back, I promise!”</p>
<p>He sprinted towards the direction of his camp, adrenaline rushing through his ears, the burning sensation on his cheeks never mellowing. Ah, what was this feeling? Happiness? Relief? Or was it finally a declaration of independence, where he could help people without asking for help himself? For years, there was always someone by his side, always fighting his battles for him while he acted like a damsel in distress. Now, he had the chance to help someone by himself, and he wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from him.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Iwatani</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Motoyasu didn’t know what to expect when he went to visit Father after parting with him for so long. Maybe Father would be making dinner; it’s sunset, the prime time for cooking! If he’s lucky, he could try some of Father’s cooking after gagging at his own culinary skills for so long. “I’d like to spend some time alone,” Naofumi had said, but a surprise visit couldn’t hurt! Maybe they could go around and hunt monsters like they used to. So, Motoyasu left the fillolials in Sakura, Yuki and Kuro’s care, and set off on his own to Father’s house.</p>
<p>He was greeted by an empty room instead. The door was hung open, the hinges creaking as the wind graced the forest, dried leaves dotting the wooden floors like flower petals. It was void of life, like whoever lived here had left, but only recently; there wasn’t much dust on the furniture. Shocked, Motoyasu burst inside, charging past the doors and craned his head around, but there was no one to be seen. The stove was unlit and there was no scent of Father’s cooking.</p>
<p>“Father!” Motoyasu cried, clutching his spear as he cupped his mouth with a hand. “Father, it’s me, Motoyasu! Where are you?”</p>
<p>He received no reply, not even picking up any lifeforms from a skill from his spear. Only several low-level monsters which even Father could handle easily with a step from his boot. There was no one here, and whoever lived in this house was most definitely gone. This isn’t like Father! Father would always tell him everything, in case of danger. He’d received no reports from Siltvelt that Father has been out. Otherwise, he would have been recognized instantly.</p>
<p>Raising his spear and a shout—<em>“Portal Spear!”</em>—he travelled back to his beloved fillolials, and enlisted the help from the only one that was so familiar with Father’s scent that they could track him from a different continent altogether.</p>
<p>Sakura didn’t hesitate and let Motoyasu climb on her back after she transformed. Together, they set off to search for the abruptly disappeared Naofumi.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>“Nice kills back there,” Naofumi commented, taking his illusion down. He stared at the monster’s carcasses, littered across the forest’s grounds in heaps and pools of their blood. The trees around them were also damaged; trunks decorated with clean slashes and branches cut off with a mere swipe. He didn’t look too enthusiastic at the collateral damage, but he didn’t show it on his face. “I think these monsters are called Harpies. They come in different colours, but there’s one with rainbow feathers that are the most dangerous and vicious, but also the easiest to kill. One thing about it is that it also travels in packs with those of the same colour, but the one with the brightest colour is commonly pecked to death because they’d attract too much attention. Ones with the—”</p>
<p>L’arc was staring at him, his arms crossed with an eyebrow raised. He looked more amused and surprised than irritated, but his outlandish expression was what got Naofumi to stop rambling.</p>
<p>Naofumi sighed, holding his head as if he were expecting a migraine. “Sorry. I’m a total nerd; different world or no.”</p>
<p>“No, no, it’s fine,” L’arc claimed, carefully stepping over the bodies as well as avoiding blood on his boots. “It’s just a tad odd, because the other Naofumi doesn’t like to speak much. He’s much more… broody, and my friend told me he acts like a demon king. You, on the other hand, are the exact opposite.”</p>
<p>“Hm,” Naofumi hummed, clicking his tongue. He didn’t meet L’arc’s eyes. “I’ll agree with you on that one.” His tone was flat, without an ounce of emotion within. It should be something cryptic, something vital to his past, yet he’d brushed the note off like sweeping dust off a table.</p>
<p>“Anyway, how’s the village?” L’arc asked. “If there’s not too much hustle and bustle about my warrant and your face, then maybe we can find an inn there.”</p>
<p>L’arc, for a moment, watched Naofumi’s expression shift between different emotions—surprise, reluctancy and struggle. They eventually all shifted together as a difficult-to-explain face that brought more questions than answers. Naofumi didn’t hide his feelings, but his motives were hard to pinpoint. Like how L’arc used to throw his counterpart off-guard, this Naofumi did the same to him.</p>
<p>Though, it was only now that L’arc realized he’d missed a crucial part of Naofumi’s attire, a significant weapon that was sufficient to distinguish between a commoner from a Cardinal Hero, where even the most illiterate people could recognize them. Naofumi still wore the undershirt of his armour, but a familiar, silver shield wasn’t attached to his arm.</p>
<p>“My shield’s on my back,” Naofumi clarified. He turned around and held his cloak upwards, revealing the glint of metal and the psychedelic blue. It had been hidden under his cape. He let the cloth down, nose crinkling from fur brushing on the tip of his nose. “It’s a habit. Assassins tend to strike from behind, so I keep it there whenever Motoyasu’s away.”</p>
<p>L’arc pursed his lip. So, Naofumi had been observing him. It’s still uncanny, for someone to answer his inquiries before he even had the thought to voice them. He shouldn’t be surprised, as he was talking to a veteran who’d seen more wars and bloodshed than he did, despite never participating in any. (<em>Maybe</em>, he didn’t know, nor does he want to.) But still, assassins? What kind of world was he living in?</p>
<p>But did Naofumi find it alright to tell L’arc about this mere detail? No matter how small, information was always proving to be vital and his clutch no matter the situation. He’d expected Naofumi to keep secret about most his skills, but he would answer every time he was asked.</p>
<p>Or rather, he’s lying.</p>
<p>“There’s something I need to discuss with you,” Naofumi continued, snapping L’arc out of his stupor. He was holding his hands behind his back, and he still wouldn’t look L’arc in the eye. Overall, his stance reminded L’arc of a shy, young healer trying to muster the courage to ask the soldier that she fancied to party with her. The fact that he looked younger than his original age didn’t help either; neither does his small figure. “It’s about the village that I went to just now.”</p>
<p>The redheaded scythe hero frowned, waiting for a bombshell to drop. Whenever someone wanted to discuss various topics to him, especially when he was holding his position as a king, nothing would be okay. It wasn’t a simple, measly hindrance. When the news had travelled into his ears, they already evolved into a threat. That’s the vibe Naofumi was giving him, and his muscles haven’t tensed up further, his hands reaching for the scythe behind his back.</p>
<p>“Yeah?” L’arc said, keeping a calm tone. “What about it? Is there a hero nearby? Or—”</p>
<p>Naofumi looked up and stared into his eyes. He’d taken his arms and they were hanging by his sides, looking ready for a potential battle. His gaze was calm, indifferent, but there was a hollowness that threatened to drown L’arc whole.</p>
<p>L’arc clenched his teeth, itching for his weapon.</p>
<p>“It’s Iwatani,” Naofumi said. “The village you told me about. The one that a Tanuki renamed to honour her fallen master, the Shield Hero. It’s over there, and we didn’t even notice. I saw the fillolial Queen too, so it’s likely that the Tanuki is there as well.”</p>
<p>That wasn’t what L’arc expected. Of all the worse case scenarios, he never anticipated this. Sure, their goal was to somehow introduce this Naofumi to them, so they would have a guardian before their world crumpled, but the plan was moving too fast. It couldn’t even be called a plan to begin with. It was a half-assed attempt for him to apologize, and this was the only thing he could think of in his misery. Suddenly everything seemed like a bad idea. His brain shrieked at him to abort everything they were doing.</p>
<p>They’ve come so far, right? This wasn’t his adventure; it was Naofumi’s. Anything that would happen here would be up to him.</p>
<p>“Oh,” was all he could think of.</p>
<p>Naofumi didn’t react. There was a faint smile on his face, barely noticeable, but it was the face of someone who’d grown too tired, far too irritated of the world around him. His tone was even, but every ounce of shyness he showed before was gone. “I still think this is a bad idea,” he admitted. “But, I will stay there. I’ll watch over them, but not as my true face. This is the only thing I can do.”</p>
<p>L’arc tried to quell his shaking fingers. “What if you get attached?” he asked. “Will you bring them back to your world? You know this world is on the verge of collapsing.”</p>
<p>Naofumi shook his head. “No.” He didn’t lie. “If that is truly the Filo that Motoyasu lusts after, I would like to keep her away from him. It’s for both their sakes as well as for mine.” Like usual, his explanations were vague, but L’arc could see the reasoning behind them. Their talk the previous night had brought many unpleasant memories to surface, most of which they’d buried deliberately.</p>
<p>L’arc, like many times after he met Naofumi, had nothing to retaliate. Naofumi didn’t seem like a heartless person, nor does he act like one; but he wondered how much sorrow he suffered for him to turn his eyes away upon two helpless children trapped in a crumpling world. He was indeed, the polar opposite of his counterpart, and it’d included his good traits. One had a mindset to protect, the other to walk away.</p>
<p>Naofumi’s words made sense, too. Not all of L’arc’s ideas were astounding, but he knew it from his bones that his impulsive decision had a possibility to send everything crashing straight into chaos. Now, they found his targets, and Naofumi had a plan of his own.</p>
<p>“So, this is where we part ways?” L’arc asked, smiling painfully.</p>
<p>Naofumi returned a smile, tilting his head as if to agree. “Don’t get yourself killed out there. You can always ask me for help.”</p>
<p>They shook hands, signifying the end of their journey together. Naofumi put on his illusion, pink hair and all, and sprinted back towards the direction of the village. He never looked back once, and his hair looked too realistic to be an illusion. L’arc, on the other hand, left to camp to clean up their temporary residence, only to find that it was all packed away, with a newly made pouch by his things. It was made of leather.</p>
<p>When L’arc opened it, he realized that it was the leftover meat that Naofumi didn’t cook yesterday, all smoked and prepared for future meals. He chuckled to himself and heaved a disbelieving sigh. Guess he wasn’t kidding when he blabbered about the others calling him a champion housewife. Therese kept telling him women live longer than men because the kitchen were where the knives were, but he never really believed it up until now.</p>
<p>If Naofumi wasn’t the Shield Hero, he would be a heck of a swordsman.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Looking for the old lady before wasn’t difficult as Naofumi had thought it would be. The village wasn’t large by Siltvelt standards, but its endless construction work and surroundings made everything look the same. He expected that he would have to go around and ask, embarrassing himself further as he dodged questions of his intrusion of the Shield Hero’s sanctuary, then finally find the lady red faced and whining from humiliation. He’d faced many situations that would make him want to curl up in a corner and roll around the floor while squealing like a high school teenager, but this, in general, had <em>pathetic</em> written all over his face.</p>
<p>What kind of a former Lord would he be if he can’t even talk to people without squirming? (One that had killed many traitors without batting an eyelid before, but that’s in the past.) Naofumi wasn’t the best at recognizing faces, but the lady was easy to spot. Near the oceans by the cliff, was a clearing where a dozen of cafeteria-styled tables and benches were laid out under a sloped sheet of metal that was hastily set up. There was a small group of children there, all staring at an adult as they learned proper table manners. The children drunk in the information with fascination, holding up respective utensils in front of bowls of food. He recognized it to be the chazuke he’d given earlier.</p>
<p>He would say he found the woman, but the lady made her way to him first. Her eyes caught his presence, and waved at him, beckoning him to come closer. Naofumi, sceptically, began to walk towards the impromptu dining hall, his fists tightening under his cloak. He didn’t know whether if they will recognize the same cloak that the other him used to wear, or if L’arc’s description was accurate to begin with. He didn’t have time to overthink it, however, as he was now only a few feet apart from the mage, her kind face studying Naofumi’s illusioned physique as she evaluated him. She nodded, as if she was approving of him.</p>
<p>“Good, good,” she said. Both her hands were on the tip of her staff, planted on the ground. “You’re a fine young lady, miss—?”</p>
<p>Naofumi’s mind drew a blank. <em>Ah</em>, he didn’t think of a false name beforehand. Before this, he never felt the need to, because there was no use for him to hide so much. His brain turned, going through the names that he’d heard and given, and finally deciding on one. A name that he’d given to someone in the past. “Sakura,” he answered, without missing a beat. The childish name didn’t suit a mature fillolial like Sakura back home. While Kuro and Yuki had the body of children, Sakura’s growth had accelerated to a young woman. “I’m from Siltvelt. I came to Melromarc to handle some business procedures.”</p>
<p>The lady nodded. “Oh, you’re a demihuman, then?” she asked, frowning. “I do not see any ears or tails; excuse my bluntness.”</p>
<p>A simple observation, but it was an easy accusation to resolve. “I’m one of the few humans that isn’t a slave,” he confessed. None of his words were lies, just sugar-coated and brushed over. The truth was more unsettling than anything that came out of his mouth. “Though, it’s difficult, with all the demihuman supremacy. People tend to attack me just because of my appearance.” Another half-truth. Not everyone in the royal council was pleased about his race, despite being their proclaimed God.</p>
<p>“It is a pity that Melromarc is also struggling to dispatch its human supremacy,” the lady agreed, a tut-tut tone in her voice like she would want nothing more than to scold those ignorant humans. “I suppose every country has their flaws. You agreed to cook, correct? Though I must warn you: it is a terribly tedious task, but everyone’s more than enthusiastic to lend a helping hand.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded. “Of course! But everyone here has their own responsibilities, right? I can handle it just by myself.”</p>
<p>“Don’t push yourself, young lady.” The woman gestured him to follow her, which led him to be a short journey. There were steps built by putting planks on sunken holes; sloppy, but it served its purpose. They eventually reached at what appeared to be a storage unit, only a good twenty metres away from the dining hall. He was curious where they would have their meals if it were to rain, but they had magic, and there were many ways they could utilize it. Perhaps a low-level barrier to prevent water soaking them thorough.</p>
<p>The woman opened the wooden door, leading them into the room. The floor was made of wood, and the walls were built from bricks and cement. The ceiling wasn’t finished, with holes and openings in various areas, scattering sunlight into the dark kitchen. It wasn’t small, but it wasn’t the grandest. There was a stockpile of various food supplies at the far end of the room, some encased in ice magic. By the walls were counters, sinks, and shelves for cooking utensils and pans. At the centre of the room were three large pots suspended by a hook hanging down from the ceiling, hovering over their individual fireplaces.</p>
<p>Judging by the sheer size of where they prepared their meals, they must have planned for future villagers or a larger accommodation. It wasn’t a proper kitchen; it wasn’t a place where high-classed cooks would be spending their days in, but it was enough for Naofumi. There was a thin layer of dust and dirt on the ground, and the supplies were all not placed in order. He could feel his mind turning, itching to whip this place into shape. However, he still had work to do.</p>
<p>“This is where we prepare everybody’s breakfast, lunch and dinner. At weekends, we’d give everyone a dessert after their dinners. There’s around seventy people in total. How long are you staying for?”</p>
<p>“As long as I want,” Naofumi said. “I am on a free business trip, after all.”</p>
<p>The woman nodded, smiling proudly at him, as if she were looking at her grandchild’s achievements. It was supposed to be warming, something to be happy about, but all Naofumi felt in his stomach at that very moment, was dread.</p>
<p>“I’ll hand you a list in the afternoon,” she said, patting him on the back. She was shorter than him, but Naofumi wasn’t very tall either. Her head was below her shoulder, and she had to raise her arm to give him a pat of gratitude, but he tensed when she hovered near his shield. One wrong move and it would all be over.</p>
<p>Some of Naofumi’s advanced shields were locked, but he could still access their basic skills. At least, he would need to find the same material in this world to unleash the power he possessed in the world he lived in, but that wasn’t what he was here for. Though, his illusion skill did begin to worry him. Before, he could manipulate his appearance at will, choosing what to show and what to not. However, he could only disguise himself as those who he’d met: like Sakura, Kuro, Yuki, Éclair, and Motoyasu. The fact that Sakura had large wings didn’t help. Fortunately, he had this cloak.</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded back at her, keeping an enthusiastic smile.</p>
<p>“There’s still an hour until breakfast,” the lady told her. “So, could you make something simple? Something easy to digest and start off the day with. You’re free to use any of the ingredients.”</p>
<p>“You can count on me!” Naofumi replied optimistically.</p>
<p>When the lady left, Naofumi stopped himself from moping further, and began digging through crates and crates of food at the corner. He had an idea of what to make, but he had to find the supplies he needed. After five minutes or rummaging through uncategorized meats, eggs, and vegetables, Naofumi eventually had everything and carried them over to the counter, thinking of different ways to organize the place.</p>
<p>As he began to cut the first few chunks of griffin meat, his mind wandered elsewhere, bringing him to the image of the man who brought him here: <em>Stay safe, L’arc. Hope we meet again</em>.</p>
<p>Naofumi didn’t think of anything else afterwards, putting all his focus on the huge batches of bacon and eggs he was going to make, and granting himself a peace of mind, the insecurity that plagued him before never once resurfacing.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>After the morning’s monster hunt, Raphtalia and Filo returned to the village, already dreading the slop that they would serve as their breakfast. It’s no surprise that almost everyone had no experience in front of a stove, as most people were recently freed from slavery or their expertise was elsewhere, but Raphtalia was starting to reconsider Melty’s offer. The young princess had tried to dispatch some trained chefs to help with the food, but Raphtalia, the acting lord, turned it down. They would handle themselves just fine. As it turned out a day later, they could not.</p>
<p>Raphtalia had tried to keep her mind off Master Naofumi whenever she ate whatever monstrosity that sat upon her plate. It’s only been a few weeks since the funeral, and her grief never subsided. Yet, she had to put on a straight face and smile to everyone else, per the words of her parents. <em>Once you smile, everything’s going to be okay</em>. How are things going to be? There’s no bright side to this.</p>
<p>Filo, on the other hand, was like a kicked puppy. She barely smiled and laughed anymore. She would stay in the room that Master Naofumi used to sleep in whenever they weren’t training and bury herself in the blankets that he used. No amount of coaxing would cheer her up, not even with the promise of food.</p>
<p>Raphtalia heaved a sigh, standing like a statue as she watched the young fillolial queen make a dash towards the tower, where they stayed. Before this, Filo was the most sociable out of the three, always finding ways to make friends and lift people’s moods with kind words and bright smiles. Now, it was as if Filo despised the outside world, rather choosing to lock herself in a dark place without the light of day.</p>
<p>The sword attached on her waist suddenly weighed a thousand pounds, like she wasn’t worthy to wield it. Master Naofumi had given her this sword, and she’d promised to be his. Everything that she lived for was built for him, but now that he’s gone, she had no purpose, no direction. He swore to her that he wouldn’t leave, yet…</p>
<p>That image still burned in her mind. The sight where she watched her master get down to one knee, and offered his neck. She remembered crying out his name, trying to get his attention, but it was as if he didn’t hear her at all—and when she finally arrived by his side, it was too late. Her master laid in a pool of his own blood, the shield that protected her broken and battered, finally broken after all the damage it’d deflected. The memory was still vivid to her, haunting her every time she closed her eyes. Somewhere in the darkness, somewhere at the back of her mind, still remained the pair of forest green eyes, dull as can be.</p>
<p>Her ears perked, hearing the sound of shoes on dirt. Looking up abruptly, she saw a familiar face with green hair and eyes. Rishia’s hair bounced playfully behind her, though it didn’t excuse the fact that her face was flustered from greeting the demihuman. Rishia, after being booted from Itsuki’s team, had taken up Raphtalia’s invitation to join them. They weren’t as strong as a party without Master Naofumi, and their experience intake drastically increased, but that only meant they had to work twice as hard. At least, a bit harder than the other heroes.</p>
<p>“Rishia?” Raphtalia asked, snapping out of her momentary grief. “What’s the matter? Is the village under attack?”</p>
<p>Rishia shook her head, practically cowering in front of the taller woman. “No!” she clarified. “Everything’s fine! A <em>bit</em> too fine, in fact—” She tripped over her own words, muttering incoherent nonsense before finally getting on track. “The lady from the potion shop told me that a businesswoman came by the village to help with the cooking. But I don’t remember you saying that you’ve asked anyone to come that’s a human, so I came to get you as fast as I can.”</p>
<p>“Human?” Raphtalia repeated, frowning. As much as she appreciated the extra help, but if it were someone who had ulterior motives, the whole village would be at stake. “When did they come? Did you say <em>cooking</em>?” That would give them plenty of openings to poison their food! Master Naofumi would have never allowed it.</p>
<p>The green-haired mage nodded frantically. “What if she’s a spy from Prin—I mean, Whore?”</p>
<p>That was enough to raise Raphtalia’s awareness to its limits. Without awaiting another explanation, she bolted towards the direction of the village’s kitchen. When she reached the door, however, she didn’t make a big deal of it. Instead, she pushed it open gently, enough for the door’s rusted hinges to creak, but quiet enough for anyone inside to pass it off as the wind.</p>
<p>Raphtalia herself couldn’t believe that she would be so sceptical of a stranger, but perhaps it was the fact that Master Naofumi was no longer here to watch after the village. She was leading Iwatani in his stead, and a leader could take no chances.</p>
<p>When she looked inside, the smell was the first thing that hit. Her nose twitched, expecting horrendous odours—like when Erhard tried to make stew—but she was welcomed with a fresh, appetizing scent of eggs and meat. In fact, the meat smelled familiar, like she’d had it somewhere before and didn’t remember where she did. There was a young woman by the counter, her sleeves tucked to her shoulders as she mixed ingredients in a large pan. Raphtalia couldn’t see her face, but she could see her luscious, pink locks.</p>
<p>The girl turned to Raphtalia instinctively, her eyes widening. “Oh? Hello there,” she greeted, like they weren’t complete strangers. “I take it you’re the Lord here?”</p>
<p>Raphtalia, whose position was now exposed, nodded sheepishly as she stepped inside. “Yes, and you’re the one who volunteered to help?” Her question was confirmed with a brief nod, before the girl decided to turn back to her batch and adding a vial full of honey. “I’m Raphtalia, and you are?”</p>
<p>“Sa—ku—ra,” she answered, dragging out every syllable in her name out like a toddler. She didn’t sound or look malicious, but Raphtalia knew that she shouldn’t take chances. Even the most innocent-looking children could pose as a dire threat. “You can calm down, Raphtalia. There’s nothing for me to gain if I poison the food stocks. You should practise calming that tail of yours.”</p>
<p>Her tone was laid back and playful, but her words were alarming. She’d stated that she meant no harm at the very start. Though, she was right. Raphtalia wasn’t the best at hiding her emotions, and her tail was always a dead giveaway.</p>
<p>“Y—yes.” Raphtalia straightened herself, but her tail and ears were still tense. “So, about where you’re staying—”</p>
<p>“I can make a tent nearby. On the beach, across the fishing docks; if you don’t mind, that is.”</p>
<p>“Are you sure? It gets cold out.”</p>
<p>“I’m not used to sleeping on a bed; or with a roof over me.” Sakura, after mixing, turned the pan over and dumped the batter on the counter. It looked heavy, especially for someone with slender arms as her, but she accomplished the task effortlessly. “But, thank you for your offer. I’ve already finished making breakfast. It should be at that dining hall, or whatever you call it. If you need more, just tell me.”</p>
<p>Raphtalia felt as if she was talking to an actual mother. One that was strict, play-by-the-rulebook type of parenting, but at the same time, kind and was always popular with the younger children. It was like she knew what she was going to say and answering the questions she didn’t voice.</p>
<p>“So, what are you making?” Raphtalia tried for a smile, walking closer. She could smell a hint of butter and milk up close, and she noticed that Sakura was wearing a cloak. A cloak almost like—</p>
<p>Raphtalia stopped herself from thinking further. It wasn’t a common design, but it wasn’t strictly for Master Naofumi’s wardrobe. She just never saw it on someone else.</p>
<p>Sakura began kneading the dough, never once turning to Raphtalia, despite the Tanuki being right next to her. “I saw some kids who look too young to eat anything heavy like meat. This is a bread made with minimal ingredients so it’s easier to digest. For now, I’m thinking of making simple sandwiches for the children.” She looked up from her dough, staring straight into Raphtalia’s eyes. “You haven’t eaten yet, haven’t you? You should’ve eaten something before going out to raise your levels. This is rude of me, but, <em>shoo</em>. Go help yourself to the eggs and griffin bacon outside. Running on an empty stomach isn’t good for a child like you.”</p>
<p><em>I’m an adult!</em> Raphtalia wanted to scream. She felt a sense of déjà vu creep up to her, as she’d constantly yell at Master Naofumi about her growth. Back then, Master Naofumi’s heart was frozen. He could never perceive what he was seeing.</p>
<p>So, despite having many more questions, Raphtalia found herself walking towards the dining hall, where there were trays of eggs and bacon laid out. It was almost gone, and as she watched, she saw teenagers come for seconds or thirds. Were they really that famished? Raphtalia felt shame creep in. She wasn’t the leader they needed.</p>
<p>She quickly snapped out of her self-pity and filled two plates. One for herself, the other for Filo. Filo’s plate was stacked high with bacon, rivalling a small hill.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what magic’s happening today, but this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted in years!” Erhard exclaimed, patting Raphtalia on the back like a proud uncle. “Dig up, kid! This might be a once-in-a-lifetime happening!”</p>
<p>Raphtalia stumbled over from the blacksmith’s firm hand but kept her balance. She stared at him, wondering if such a simple meal could earn such high praise. Maybe it was because they’ve been eating nothing but barely edible mush. The possibility only urged Raphtalia to melt into her boots. What kind of a leader <em>is</em> she?</p>
<p>Even so, she trusted Erhard’s opinion. The man was nothing but blunt and straightforward. Grabbing a fork and picking up a piece of meat, she brought it to her mouth, and ate.</p>
<p>But she didn’t expect tears rolling down her cheeks, her hand shaking as she stared at the plate. <em>Why?</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Why did this taste so much like Master Naofumi’s cooking?</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Melty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Note that Naofumi (whenever he holds Sakura's appearance) is always barefoot. Some people question it but he deflects the conversation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>“Fatherrrrr!”</em> Motoyasu cried, ignoring pedestrian cries as he stormed through a marketplace atop Sakura. His red cloak stitched with a layer of fillolial feathers billowed behind him, as did his blond ponytail. “FATHER! WHERE ARE YOUUUUUUUU?”</p>
<p>Sakura, though running at full speed in her fillolial form, joined in the Hero’s cries. Compared to him, her voice was calm and even, but she had a larger pair of lungs compared to the blond. “Master Naofumi! Where are you? I want heat pats…!” she shouted with absolute confidence that her precious hero will pop up from a random stall and magically stand in front of her rampage. However, he did not.</p>
<p>Tears were practically streaming down Motoyasu’s face as he cupped his free hand around his mouth, calling out for the Shield Hero. They were running amongst a crowded town, but Motoyasu did not care. The cries of demihumans and pigs echoed faintly in the background, but he didn’t so much as bat an eyelid. What’s the cost of a town when Father is missing? He’ll gladly kill those who will impede in his search of Father. A few deaths will mean nothing in the face of Father’s safety!</p>
<p>Despite their rude intrusion, some quickly caught word of the Shield Hero’s disappearance. The citizens of Siltvelt were well aware that the Spear Hero strictly refers to the Shield Hero as Father, and the fact that Motoyasu was parading his disappearance in a frenzy didn’t help quell matters. So, with the news of their vanished God began to spread around town, the Capital of Siltvelt was quick to fall into chaos. Within minutes, outlandish theories began to surface. <em>What if Melromarc had kidnapped their Lord? What if he’s ascended to become a real deity? What if he’s dead?</em></p>
<p>The Spear Hero, in his panic, failed to notice the townspeople’s whispers. Sakura, however, kept note on every sentence she’d heard along the way, accompanied with the shrieks and screams that demihumans would give whenever they were in her way, or whenever she was about to trample over them into mush. She kept silent, not wanting to stir Motoyasu’s mind into further chaos, but she pondered about them silently as she nearly ran over her fellow fillolials.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Naofumi sank to the floor, dull aches resounding throughout his muscles. In the kitchen he worked in had been transformed in just a few hours. “Wuah… that’s over,” he exclaimed, falling onto his back with his limbs spread out. His cloak spilled around him, and the shield pressed into his back, but he didn’t care.</p>
<p>The wooden floor was refurbished and given a layer of gloss, giving it an appearance of a tiled floor. The roof was replaced with tiles he’d crafted from discarded bricks he found in the debris from constructions. There were windows now, placed by the counters and the direction of the dining hall, the glass reinforced and laced with light metal. Fairy lights hung from the ceiling, which were powered by mana, giving off a gentle blue hue. The food supplies were all categorized and neatly placed into cupboards he crafted with his shield.</p>
<p>If it weren’t for this impromptu decision, Naofumi wouldn’t have realized how much of an actual housewife he’d become. Not only was he an expert in the culinary field, his craftsman skill was enhanced without him realizing it. The only thing left for him to do was find a husband and settle down and raise a family with three kids. But that’s never going to happen as long as he lives.</p>
<p>As he laid on the floor, staring at the fairy light, his mind began to wander. He couldn’t tell whether if it was a side-effect of his nulled exhaustion or he finally felt safe enough to space out in a foreign place. Back in Siltvelt’s castle, he was treated like a glass statue and a figurehead. He’d spent all his time in the library, the kitchen and the armoury. That must be where all his craftsman skill originated from. He must have raised them unconsciously.</p>
<p>It didn’t make him feel any better—to know that he was practically <em>built</em> to be a back-ended support. He was a Shield, for god’s sake! What good was a Shield if he couldn’t even take damage for his team? Why was everyone treating him like a delicate object that could shatter at any given moment? Even L’arc, <em>L’arc</em>; that redhead who was asking for his help in the beginning, avoided talking about anything that might supposedly trigger him. He felt like he was a child being told off by their elders.</p>
<p>
  <em>Like hell!</em>
</p>
<p>In spite of the storming thoughts brewing within his mind, his senses were still pristine and active. His ears perked as his neck craned upwards to the sound of the creak of the door, now fixed of its rusty hinges. He realized that he was still lying on the floor, indecent to greet another. Naofumi quickly sat up, but he didn’t account for his cloak being caught from his body. He quickly pulled it up before his shield was revealed, and got to his feet before he could expose anymore secrets.</p>
<p>There, standing at the door wide-eyed, was a young girl. He’d never saw her before, even back in his world. She had cornflower blue hair, tied into two pigtails on either side of her head with silk ribbons. Naofumi knew a noble when he saw one. The dress the girl was wearing was far too detailed and refined for any commoner.</p>
<p>But, as Naofumi analysed her figure, he was growing stiff from her gaping expression, her eyes widened in wonder. He was used to the treatment, of course—after all, he even lost count of the amount of times people greeted him with the same reaction back in the palace—but he wasn’t comfortable with it. He was never comfortable with it. The fact that he was casting an illusion on himself only worried him, and he couldn’t figure out why the girl would be so fixated on Sakura’s face, the fillolial girl who he was pretending to be. Save for the fillolial part.</p>
<p>Was she suspecting something? But why that amazed face? She should be doubting him by now, not gawking at him like he was made of gold.</p>
<p>“Are you, are you,” she stammered, finally finding her voice to speak. “Are you a fillolial? Which Hero is your master? Why are you an adult? Can you transform? Can I touch your feathers? What’s your name?”</p>
<p><em>Ah</em>, Naofumi swallowed, only now noticing that she was backed up to one of the pots at the centre of the kitchen. She didn’t see the shield, only the wings, then? Another factor that Sakura possessed that the other Fillolials did not, aside from her matured body, was that her wings were naturally bigger than theirs. While Kuro and Yuki’s wings were easily hidden behind their hair or shirt, Sakura’s wings were almost equal to her height, making it nearly impossible to mask.</p>
<p>The girl knew what a fillolial queen was. She must be associated with his counterpart’s fillolial queen, Filo.</p>
<p>Thinking further wouldn’t give him a solution. He was still in the same room as her, having nowhere to run from her questions. It would only arouse suspicion, so he didn’t have much choice.</p>
<p>Naofumi breathed in, keeping a smile on his face. “I’m Sakura. I volunteered to help in the kitchen,” he said light-heartedly, thanking his shield that the illusion skill also altered voice. “And you are?”</p>
<p>“Woah!” Naofumi swore he could see stars sparkling in her eyes. “You can cook? How can you resist eating all of the food?” When he remained silent, it was only then that she regained her common sense, and blushed full red at the fact that she lost her composure. She cinched the hem of her skirt, flustered as she bowed her head and apologized profusely.</p>
<p>Naofumi chuckled, void of humour, but he compensated for false warmness. If she was nobility, then he’d have more assets at his disposal if things ever go wrong. As much as he wanted to fulfil L’arc’s promises, his old habits of seeing important people as pieces on a chessboard was returning.</p>
<p>
  <em>No, what am I thinking?</em>
</p>
<p>He shut the thought down, scolding himself for thinking of such atrocious actions. His life was a Lord was over. Everyone around him were living beings, not pawns he could discard! He’s the Shield Hero, meant to protect all life. Life is sacred, and so are emotions. Everyone had their own paths they led, and he had no right to severe them—</p>
<p>
  <em>But why couldn’t he feel any guilt?</em>
</p>
<p>“My name’s Melty. Princess of Melromarc,” the girl stammered, snapping him out of his stupor. He would have to sort his feelings out later. He never had any dark thoughts about the sort, so why now? She looked up to him, fingers laced together and poised in front of her chest like she was praying. “Can we be friends? Can I see your transformation?”</p>
<p>Naofumi smiled, but it never reached his eyes. His eyes were as bright as glaciers, but colder than them. “We can be acquaintances, if you’d like,” he said. “But I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. Also, do you mind if you keep this a secret? I’d rather not have anyone know about it.”</p>
<p>Her smile dropped, expression turning to one of seriousness. “Is there something wrong?” she asked sombrely. “Is there a deadly monster crest on you? Is there a device on you that prevents you from transforming?”</p>
<p>“No, nothing of the sort.” Naofumi brought his hand up to his mouth, hiding a growing smile. “It’s just a personal choice.”</p>
<p>“Or are you one of Fitoria’s students? Which generation of Heroes did you come from?”</p>
<p>
  <em>… excuse me?</em>
</p>
<p>Naofumi’s mind wandered back to the scene where Yuki, Sakura and Kuro were sought by the Fillolial Queen. What made their meeting so memorable was Motoyasu’s lust for the Queen, and he’d ran straight towards her drooling. It’d took Naofumi all of his strength to restrain him, so it didn’t leave any good memories either, other than the fact that the young fillolials were now on the path to be her successors.</p>
<p>So, Melty has met Fitoria before? That would mean that she had to be with one of the Heroes. But, judging by what Naofumi heard from L’arc, there was a high chance that the <em>blue-haired kid </em>he mentioned was Melty, followed up by his statement that she could cast combo magic with the blonde fillolial.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, but who’s Fitoria?” Naofumi’s expression was one of an apologetic confusion, his brows creasing lightly and smile never dropping. “This is the first time I’ve heard of that name, sorry.”</p>
<p>“Oh, it’s fine! Don’t apologize. She’s the Queen of all Fillolials, and she was raised by a previous Hero. Her fillolial form reaches the clouds, and her feathers are as blue as the sky.” Her eyes lit up when she talked about the Queen. Naofumi felt a shudder tingle in his spine, and disgust and dread began to prickle in his stomach. <em>Not another Motoyasu.</em> He knew the girl was nothing like him, and her admiration was restricted to respect and passion, but it didn’t deter Naofumi from a bad impression of her. “I’ve rode atop her head once. The view and the experience were simply exhilarating…”</p>
<p>Naofumi stepped forward, stopping her. “What time is it, Melty?” he asked. “It’s about evening, so I have to start preparing dinner.”</p>
<p>Melty’s eyebrow raised, her hands crossed on her hip. She was a princess, and she acted like one. That only caused Naofumi to supress a scream, so he did in internally. “All by yourself?” she demanded incredulously. “Are you sure? I can deploy a few chefs to help you out.”</p>
<p>He shook his head, already heading over to the newly organized cupboards to decide what to make. “There’s no need. I prefer working alone.” Naofumi bit his lip, reaching into a drawer to pick out the spices and herbs he would put in the stew. “Besides, don’t you have more pressing matters to handle,<em> Princess</em>?”</p>
<p>It came out harsher than intended, which Naofumi quickly dropped the vial of rosemary in surprise, the bottle rolling on the floor and landing by his feet. He didn’t expect himself to slip up so easily. He was so swept up in avoiding her questions that he let his guard down. Stupid! He made such a simple, trivial mistake. Whipping around, he raised a hand, his tongue tied over what to say next.</p>
<p>Melty’s face was frozen in shock, as if she didn’t expect someone who was acting friendly to her would address her in a belittling tone. Her hands reached for her crinkled dress, clenching the frills.</p>
<p>“Oh, Melty, I didn’t mean—”</p>
<p>“No. It’s fine,” she wisped, looking down to the floor. “I heard from the potion shop owner that you came from Siltvelt, so it’s only natural that you’re bashful of the royal family of a human-supremacy country.” She turned towards the door, hand on the handle. “I’m sorry for pushing my boundaries.” She bolted out and slammed the door behind her before Naofumi had a chance to speak.</p>
<p>One would expect Naofumi to be stunned, or remorseful of his actions. Instead, he knelt down and picked the vial up, clenching the bottle in his hand. He stared at the dried herbs in the corked container, a sly smile passing onto his features, the sapphire in his eyes growing darker.</p>
<p>He didn’t think much of their meeting, and continued picking ingredients for the dinner he would make. As long as she didn’t suspect him, then she shouldn’t be much of a problem in his way. If he played his cards right, then he won’t ever have to worry about the accursed royal family ever again. Perhaps he could even finally be rid of King Aultcray in both worlds. His own, and the one he was in now.</p>
<p>Humming nonsensical tunes, Naofumi continued selecting ingredients and setting them on the counter. There was no way he would allow that proxy king to ever attack Siltvelt, whether if he were the Lord of Siltvelt or not. He’ll finally be of use to at least <em>something</em>, if he could neutralise a threat like Melromarc. He won’t be sitting at the backlines anymore. He would personally orchestrate the downfall of the disgusting royal family and burn their daughter on a stake while he’s at it.</p>
<p>Maybe he should start with this Melromarc. A bit of practise never hurt.</p>
<p>One question is: how will he do it?</p>
<p>The other: would it break the promise he made to L’arc?</p>
<p>Yes, yes it will.</p>
<p>Naofumi sighed, placing the last of the vegetables on the counter. He’ll have plenty of time to sort these out later, after he makes dinner for everyone and taking up the role of a damned housewife.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Someone You Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naofumi hadn’t known what to expect this night. Especially after spending hours wrapping spring rolls, stirring stews in different pots, finish touching up the sandwiches for the younger children, and cleaning up the dishes that were stockpiling on the counter. They were piled high, and despite his attempts in minimizing its usage, he was cooking for nearly a hundred people. It wasn’t his first time, at the very least. In one occasion, he’d gotten himself into an undercover mission, and was forced to make food for an entire bandit group for months. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience, but he remembered he didn’t touch another pan for at least another year. Compared to that, this was a walk in the park.</p>
<p>There was satisfaction in his work. After a few demihumans greeted him and helped take the load of food to the dining hall, they thanked him for his help and treated him like an old friend. He’d smiled and waved back, being grateful to them instead of the other way around. They’re willing to give him a chance here, and he’s thankful for that. He would rather cook for others rather than just himself. It would only remind him of how isolated he was. At times, he would rather starve instead, curling tighter on his sides as he turned away from his kitchen. What was the point of making food when it’s only for yourself? It’s something to be shared with friends, to make a place where they could all sit and relax and fill their bellies.</p>
<p>Naofumi heaved a sigh, thinking back to the wandering days before they arrived at Siltvelt. Motoyasu and the Fillolials off raising their levels, hunting for their meat; Éclair being by his side and defending him from every minor conveniences; and him fending off Kuro, Sakura and Yuki when he’s cooking anything with a sliver of meat. They were running from Melromarc’s soldiers then, and they had nowhere to rest. It was an unstable life, but he’d spent it with friends. He missed that lifestyle. He wanted to go back.</p>
<p>Motoyasu said he’d turned back time numerous times, and Naofumi was starting to remember bits of pieces of their failed lives. How he was killed when the demihumans tried to sneak him to Siltvelt, how he’d desperately tried to protect his companions’ lives, and how he failed, because he was just a useless shield. It haunted him at night. Every single time he closed his eyes. Sometimes were better than others, but most are singular loops where he would be run over by swords tens and hundreds of time. He was the only one that knew this. Not even Motoyasu was aware. With each life, Motoyasu grew warier than the previous. With each life, Naofumi was plagued by different ways of how he died in the last loop.</p>
<p>
  <em>What if I die here?</em>
</p>
<p>Naofumi shut the thought down. This wasn’t the time to overthink anything or dwell on the past. He had a much higher level than anyone here. He knew spells that no one else did. Normal swords and poisons can’t work on him. He was safe, and he could keep the people around him the same way.</p>
<p>He glanced out the window, noting that the sun was setting, and the dining hall was slowly filling up with the younger children. They were all staring at the pots of stew and sandwiches laid out on the counters, all looking like they’d struck gold, drooling all over their laps. Naofumi stifled a chuckle, though he cracked a smile. It was the innocence that he’d haven’t seen in years, where one’s purity hasn’t been tainted by the sorrow of the world. He burned the memory in his mind, knowing that there is hope for this world still.</p>
<p>Turning to the door, opting to set up camp and rest for the night. If he’s lucky, he could borrow a few books and keep himself occupied. He hadn’t been to a library for months. Though, from the corner of his eye, he caught a commotion stirring, with a group of people crowding near the dining hall. They were all clad in armour, and they brandished weapons around children, as if to intimidate them into suspicion. Judging from their dynamic, they were two separate parties, facing one young girl that was trying to quell their anger. A girl with blue hair.</p>
<p>Naofumi didn’t waste his time any further. Fixing up his cloak properly, he stormed out of the kitchen and made his way down to the rising arguments. Even from a distance he could hear burly demands and entitled screams. But one shrill voice stood out in particular, irritating Naofumi’s ears before he even saw the owner.</p>
<p>Meeting eyes with Melty, he strode past the two parties, pushing past the group of spoilt adults, all without so much as flinching. A burly man in armour and a beard (which Naofumi recognized) scowled at him and blocked his path, but all he did was continue on, and he was ricocheted back by his defence stat. Loud curses filled the hall, and the children escaped without further ado.</p>
<p>Keeping a calm smile, Naofumi addressed Melty with a court nod, and a look that said <em>I’ll handle this</em>. Melty was taken aback at first, possibly wondering why someone who’d treated her coldly before was willing to help her, but nodded back nonetheless, and stepped back from the spotlight.</p>
<p>Turning to the parties with a smile, he was quick to notice the two heroes leading their herds. A mop of dirty blond hair and a blond ponytail. They were holding a bow and a spear, the intricate design belonging to the cardinal weapons. There was a redheaded girl standing by the Spear Hero’s side, her hands curled around his elbow. Judging by her armour, she was a mage, and the enchantments on it aren’t cheap, either.</p>
<p>“What seems to be the problem?” Naofumi asked innocently, though he could already assume the answer. He’s dealt with many entitled people in the past, and this was no exception.</p>
<p>The burly man from before spoke up, puffing out his chest like an ape. “Do you not recognize who this is?” he bellowed, gesturing respectfully at the teenager, as if he was willing to get on his knees the moment the teen commanded such. “This is the mighty Bow Hero, Sir Itsuki!”</p>
<p>Naofumi didn’t waver. Instead, he turned to Motoyasu, who had a face that he recognized. Though, the sight of the nicknamed <em>Red Pig</em> being so intimate with him set off alarms in Naofumi’s head. Though, he hoped that he would be more reasonable, at least.</p>
<p>“Is there a problem?” he asked, looking him directly in the eyes. “You’re scaring off the children.”</p>
<p>Motoyasu opt to answer, but the Pig on his arm did it for him. <em>Ah, so she’s manipulating him. No wonder Motoyasu despises her and women with a passion</em>. “We demand that you serve us better food than <em>this</em> slop!” she pointed at the freshly made stew, spring rolls and sandwiches. “You have the honour of serving the Cardinal Heroes! You should be glad that we’re willing to visit this horrendous demihuman territory!”</p>
<p>“Ah, is that so?” Naofumi continued, keeping up a smile. He was working on autopilot now, after dealing with so many people of the same low as them. He gestured towards the food itself, not bothering to even think about their request. “This food is for the people that worked hard to make this village, but I think we can come to a compromise,” he said, tucking his hands away in his cloak. “Why don’t we see how many leftovers you’ll have left? Then I’ll decide whether to lend you the kitchen for you to make your own food, for <em>once</em>.”</p>
<p>That was what set them off. The former princess looked positively furious, her face turning as red as her hair. The knight’s face swelled like a balloon, filled by anger. How dare a small measly girl talk the heroes down? How dare she not comply with their unruly demands!</p>
<p>“You show Sir Itsuki some respect!” Mald screamed, waving his sword around in front of Naofumi’s face. He could feel the wind of the blade, but it was like a gentle breeze. He doubted that it could even cut a strand of his hair.</p>
<p>Naofumi didn’t react to it. Instead, he raised his arm just as the sword swung down, causing a scream of panic from the young princess behind him. But against everyone’s expectations, as soon as the blade touched Naofumi’s skin, it shattered into a million pieces, littering to the ground like snow. It didn’t just snap in half like how it would react to someone with a higher defence. It <em>shattered</em> like a glass ball dropping on a rock.</p>
<p>The knight’s eyes widened in shock, staring at his empty handle like he was caught in the midst of his anger.</p>
<p>“Mald, that’s enough,” Itsuki said, raising his hand. He turned to Naofumi with a smile, but not an apologetic one. He was acting like he just saved Naofumi from a threat, and was trying to reassure him that he was the one in danger from the beginning. “Sorry about that. He’s just cranky because he’s exhausted.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded at him, giving him false respect. It was the best way to lure more evil intentions out of anyone.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry. I perfectly understand.”</p>
<p>From the peripheral of his vision, he saw a flash of red move over to the food. He whipped around, expecting the woman throwing a tantrum and kicking the stew to the floor, but what she did amused Naofumi. When Bitch saw Naofumi looking over, she grinned while holding an uncorked vial of poison, and poured it onto one of the containers of springrolls.</p>
<p>While he didn’t freak out like they would expect, Naofumi sighed in relief, even more so when the slave crest on her chest activated, sending her crumpling to the ground in pain.</p>
<p>“My—<em>Whore</em>, what are you doing?” Motoyasu demanded, looking more concerned of his party member rather than the food she poisoned. “Why did you do that?”</p>
<p>Bitch, despite her pain, smirked evilly at her sister and Naofumi. Melty looked to be on the verge of crying and shouting, but at the same time, she stared at her former sister in disbelief, her fists clenching the hems of her skirt. Holding any harder would result in a ripped dress, but Naofumi chose to kept silent about that. He turned to the younger princess, kneeling down and putting his hand on her head. Melty looked up in shock, only to be met with a warm expression.</p>
<p>Naofumi knew how Melromarc’s politics worked. While Siltvelt was governed by a council whenever they had no Shield Hero, Melromarc is a matriarchy. Melty is the crown princess, and the king overthrown, she had the second highest authority in the land. She wasn’t using her power right.</p>
<p>“You have the Queen’s decree,” Naofumi said softly, smiling as if they were talking over coffee. “You can tell them to leave whenever.”</p>
<p>Melty turned flustered, looking to her shoes. “I—Iwatani is a free village,” she said. “Only the Lord here has power, but Raphtalia’s not here.”</p>
<p>“Ah, I see.” Naofumi stood back up, leaned over to the counter, and took the poison springrolls with both hands. The poison has dissolved in the food, leaving no trace of the dark green substance. He turned to the parties. “Since you insist on us serving you, I have found one item unfit for our villagers. Would you take this as a token of peace?”</p>
<p>Across the group, there were different reactions. Some were in shock, some were livid, but most were outraged.</p>
<p>“YOU DARE?” Mald hollered. He towered over Naofumi, stabbing a finger repeatedly between his collarbone. He wasn’t even winded by the action, but it was Mald’s fingers that started to be injured, which his pride didn’t let him show it.</p>
<p>“This poison is fake,” Naofumi said. “I doubt anyone would let Bitch go near any of it. Especially with that slave crest.”</p>
<p>“Y-yeah!” Motoyasu said quickly. “There’s no way Whore would have poison! I was with her this whole time!”</p>
<p>Mald, seeing another hero’s interference, glowered at Naofumi. “Do you have proof?”</p>
<p>Naofumi stared at him, his neck beginning to ache from looking up for so long. He cursed his height many times over the course of the years, but this was when he wanted to stretch himself to gain a few inches. At least he won’t be shorter than Sakura or Éclair that way. “Do I?” he repeated. “Fine. I’ll show you.”</p>
<p>Without warning, and ignoring Melty’s cries of shock (again), he picked up a roll and bit into it. It was about the size of Sakura’s hand, so there was no trouble in finishing it. He could taste the bitterness of the poison, still lingering, but he could pass it off as seasoning. When he was done, still standing and healthy with no poison ailments, they begrudgingly believed her. Mald snatched the container off his hands and ordered his party to leave. The same went for Motoyasu and Bitch.</p>
<p>They didn’t leave peacefully, however. As they left, they kicked everything in their path. One of them even caused a scaffolding to crumple. Naofumi didn’t think much of it, but it was the fact that they were so disrespectful to a dead man’s land was what baffled him. Even the scum in Siltvelt at least valued the honour of death.</p>
<p>Well, at least they left.</p>
<p>Naofumi sighed again, glancing at the beach. The sun was almost set, and he should set it up soon and get some early rest. But before he could leave, he felt a gentle tug on his cape. Not enough to pull it down, but to get his attention. He turned to Melty, who had concern in her eyes.</p>
<p>“I know poison when I see one,” she said. “It’s fast acting and it burns the skin. Why did you risk yourself? Do you want me to go get an antidote? Or a healer?”</p>
<p>Naofumi stared at her. So, she was worried about someone who was rude to her? It didn’t look fake, either. It was genuine.</p>
<p>“It’s a poison made from Chimera remains.” Naofumi held out his finger, which still had a bit of green liquid dripping on his fingertips. It was horrendously acidic, the drops on the ground sizzling as it dissolved, but he held it like it was water. There was a bitter, rotting smell emitting from it, but it didn’t faze him. “But even poisons can expire. This should be at least half a year old, which I’m assuming it’s the boss from the first Wave. It’s not lethal, but it’s going to cause at least a horrible stomachache.”</p>
<p>“But… how do you know all that?” Melty asked. “Do you have an Alchemy affinity? Can Fillolials detect poison by eating them? Or are you a Fillolial with an Alchemy affinity? Are Fillolials immune to poison once they reach a certain level? What level are you?”</p>
<p>Naofumi winked at her. Maybe the royal family wasn’t as rotten as he thought.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Naofumi, later in the night, was visited by none other than the Lord of the village herself. He had been reading with a few books he lent from the potion shop lady to brush up on old spells. The blue light and tent had been conjured by his shield, which only made him feel more of a housewife but with camps. While breezing past the first few pages, he heard footsteps coming this way, along with the clink of metal, presumably from armour and a sword. He was right.</p>
<p>He yawned, stretched his limbs and opened up the front of the tent. He saw Raphtalia blinking at him, surprised that he noticed her.</p>
<p>“Is there anything wrong?” he asked. “If it’s about complaints from the heroes, I’m not taking any of it.”</p>
<p>Raphtalia shook her head, as if she were afraid of being misunderstood. She was crouching down, and he couldn’t stand in the tent. She waited until he got to his knees outside then they would talk.</p>
<p>“Melty told me what happened,” was her opening line. Then silence, perhaps waiting for him to say something. He didn’t, so she continued. “Sorry for letting you deal with them when I was away, especially when you’re so busy and all…”</p>
<p>Naofumi shrugged, holding his cloak tighter. “I don’t mind dealing with them,” he admitted. “But everyone’s worried about you and Filo, you know that? You can’t keep going out every single day and fight monsters. You’re not acting like the leader they need you to be.”</p>
<p>“I…” Her voice died, along with her tail and ears drooping. “I don’t know how to be one. They elected me after Master Naofumi died, but—” She sniffled. “He’s the leader. Not me.”</p>
<p>“You’re just running away from your responsibilities.” Naofumi didn’t even blink. “You’re getting stronger for the Waves, but everyone in your village is left for dead. They do whatever without a purpose. What’s going to happen when a Wave actually comes? Is this what <em>he</em> would have wanted? He’d probably been preparing things for you and Filo so you could live after he left. Instead, you named his village after his family name to honour him and done nothing but pity yourself all this while. Take this as advice from one leader to another: stop running away and sit down at the office, and listen to your people to know them better.”</p>
<p>She fell silent at that.</p>
<p>He felt as if he went too far, shifting on his feet uncomfortably, until she spoke up. She’d turned to him, looking down because of their height difference, the beginning of tears shimmering in the corner of her eyes. Her expression was one of relief, but there was still doubt in her eyes. Not self-doubt, but suspicion towards <em>him</em>. The way she gripped her sword, the way she stood, it was all obvious—she didn’t trust him completely, but his words made an effect on her.</p>
<p>Naofumi trained his gaze onto the ocean’s horizon. The sun has completely set, and it was a moonless night. The only source of illumination was the faint blue light from his tent, and the fires from the village behind them. Rhythms of waves echoed throughout the sky, filling in the odd silence that stood between them. A gentle breeze caressed their faces, brushing strands of their hair from their face. His illusioned hair didn’t react to the winds, but his cloak did. He held the collar close to his chest.</p>
<p>“Ever since you came, I sensed illusion magic on you,” Raphtalia said, still looking at him. Her hand was on her sword, threatening she would draw it any minute. “And your cooking, it tastes almost like… Master Naofumi’s.”</p>
<p>Naofumi didn’t answer, but he was fairly surprised that no matter which world, he would always be remembered for his cooking.</p>
<p>Her grip on her sword tightened. “Who are you, really?” she demanded. “You show up out of nowhere, your cloak is exactly like his, your cooking’s the same, you have poison resistance and immunity…” She lowered her head. “Master Naofumi…?”</p>
<p>“I’m not your Master,” Naofumi said. “I just happen to be a random adventurer that stumbled upon your village, has plenty of experience handling poisons, and uses the same seasoning as your Master. That’s it. Anyone with experience in the kitchen would automatically go for the simplest and easiest route to make a full course meal, especially when you’re wandering around.”</p>
<p>“But why the illusion magic?” she continued. “Why are you hiding? Are you trying to destroy Iwatani?”</p>
<p>“I have no reason to.”</p>
<p>“Then show me who you are. I want to trust you around my village, and I can’t do that if you can’t show me your real face.”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to trust me. All I’m here for is to cook three meals a day with desserts on the weekend. You can look for someone with poison detection to check my cooking if you have a problem with it. I’m not here to cause trouble or bring any.” Naofumi faltered, adding a new detail. “But here’s a truth. I’m here because someone asked me to.”</p>
<p>That caught her attention. “Who?” she asked. “Is it someone I know?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>That was all he was willing to answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Reason to Protect</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Father!” Motoyasu cried, his voice growing hoarse. The sun was setting in the fields of Siltvelt, the pair standing alone upon a hill that was far from any town. Hours of worry exhausted them, and brought endless worry to Motoyasu’s mind. Sakura, tired from long hours of running, now carried on Motoyasu’s back, had tears streaming down her cheeks. She hiccupped and cried for her master, but she couldn’t find him. Naofumi was simply gone. “Father, where are you?”</p>
<p>Thriving forward, Motoyasu refused to surrender to his exhaustion. His stomach growled in hunger, tongue dry from thirst. They searched for him for a whole day and night, ran through hundreds of different villages and forests, but they could not find the Shield Hero. Motoyasu knew he wasn’t dead, at least, otherwise he would have looped. But what if he was really dead? Would all their hard work be for nothing? The Waves, Melromarc’s hostility, Siltvelt’s plot to use the Shield Hero… it would all be reset.</p>
<p>Motoyasu didn’t want that! He was so, so tired of returning to the starting point. He’d looped for many times, and each time was always him failing to protect Father. One way or the other, he would die, and it would be Motoyasu’s fault. He was too weak and ignorant to keep Father from harm.</p>
<p>The sun has set, and stars began to come out. The winds are turning cold, and the animals were hustling back to their nests to sleep. Sakura was yawning, too, and her stomach growled louder than his. The poor thing. She must be worn out after expending so much energy.</p>
<p>Motoyasu tried to remain positive and see the end to this. That was what Father always told him. He fixed his gaze forward, raising his spear to teleport back to his house, but a message interrupted him. Four boxes appearing in his vision, symbols of the cardinal weapons carved in each. They were coloured white, but the first one was coloured pitch black, a red aura surrounding the outline of the box. The shield had lost its colour, fading to dark grey.</p>
<p><em>No</em>, he thought, falling to his knees. His eyes were widened, his expression hanging between grief and shock. <em>I… failed? Again?</em> There was no doubting it. The blackened shield that would always appear before his eyes every time he held Father’s limp body in his arms. The crimson symbol that would come to life when Father’s blood was spilt before his feet. It was all too familiar, sickeningly horrendous.</p>
<p>Clutching his head in pain, his mouth opened to a guttural scream. A hoarse, frustrated shout that held nothing but pain in his voice. One single scream held many emotions: hatred, exhaustion, grief and pain. Father is dead! Because Motoyasu wasn’t by his side. He wasn’t there to protect him.</p>
<p>Stumbling to face Sakura, the symbols blaring in his vision, he put a shaky hand on her head. He wished he could say goodbye to Yuki and Kuro and the others too, but there was no time. He wanted to see them again. He could raise them in his new timeline, but he was so, so tired. He doubted he had the energy to restart one more time.</p>
<p>“Motoyasu?” Sakura asked, confused. “Is Motoyasu okay?”</p>
<p>“Yes, everything’s okay.”</p>
<p>The world around him spun like passing fog, the colours fading to nothing but white. Sakura’s pink hair was the last thing he saw, and it was drawn away like coloured water spinning down a drain. Her voice and the breeze of the winds was the last thing Motoyasu heard clearly, and that disappeared too. The world he thought would be the final ended like a sudden storm in a clear day. Everything was happening too fast for him to handle.</p>
<p>First was fog, then came silence. After them, it was a brief second of darkness. He wanted to drown in that blackness and the calmness forever, where he no longer had to redo every tormenting cycle. No matter what he did, he was set up to fail from the very beginning. Father was always meant to die, and his torturous fate was to reach him before his fate did. However, no human could walk the same path as destiny, and Motoyasu could only be swept up in the current.</p>
<p>He was too tired.</p>
<p>He wanted it all to be over.</p>
<p>In a flash of light, he was in a room he knew all too well. Robed figures standing before them, three dazed figures scrambling to get on their feet. “O’ Holy Heroes, please save our world!”</p>
<p>Motoyasu didn’t bother looking to his right because he already knew it was a lost cause. He didn’t react during their introductions either, even when Father was skipped over by the King.</p>
<p><em>I’m sorry, Father. I can’t do this anymore</em>, he said inside his head, casting his hollow gaze to the carpet. They were dismissed and sent to prepare for the ball tonight, and he ignored their attempts in conversation. He excused himself from the party and left to sit in the gardens instead.</p>
<p>He didn’t know whether if it was instinct or just the world spiting him, but his clothes were already changed into the armour he wore in all the other worlds. Red cloak lined with fillolial feathers and all. They were the only thing that would constantly follow him everywhere he went. He felt unworthy to wear such clothing, as it was a symbol for his love of fillolials and his oath to protect Father. Now, he detested such trivial passion. Just thinking about fillolials made his head rattle with agony.</p>
<p>“Not much of a party person, are you?”</p>
<p>Motoyasu froze all over, his hand gripping the handle of his spear in instinct. That was the voice that would always haunt him. The kind, warm voice that promised to be by his side and protect him in the name of his shield. The exact same voice he could never save.</p>
<p>He kept silent, fixing his eyes on the walls.</p>
<p>“Or a social one, I guess.” Naofumi respected his privacy and sat somewhere behind Motoyasu. He wasn’t remotely close, but his presence still made Motoyasu’s skin crawl. “I still can’t believe we’re in another world, and we’re supposed to be heroes. I’m not sure I know <em>how</em> to be one, with a shield that can’t attack and all, but it’s still worth a shot, isn’t it?” He sighed. “Everyone wants to talk to Itsuki or Ren, and I don’t think anyone likes me very much. Even the king.”</p>
<p><em>They’d hate you enough to turn you into a criminal</em>, was what Motoyasu didn’t say. As much as he hated returning to the same task again and again, he couldn’t bear to let Father go in without any warning. He didn’t want to explain the situation to him, because he’ll just die and Motoyasu will fail.</p>
<p>Motoyasu turned to him, his back slouched and expression resembling a soldier who returned from a lost war. Naofumi’s back was turned, too, so he didn’t notice him.</p>
<p>“When a red pig tries to come to your party tomorrow, don’t accept her,” Motoyasu said, his voice laced with exhaustion. “Then you run. This country hates the Shield Hero. They are not willing to hear you out.” He raised his spear, the tip glinting under the moonlight, mocking him for his incompetence. <em>“Portal Spear!”</em></p>
<p>He didn’t know where he would be going, but he didn’t need to stick around to be near Father. Father does not need to be someone near him. He would only cause Father pain and death.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>“You dare trick Sir Itsuki?! The nerve of you!”</p>
<p>Naofumi scratched his head, facing the group of angry parties that were all suffering from a wicked bellyache. They all looked shrivelled, their hair and armour barely kempt. There was a hint of green on their faces, and the ailment on their statuses was no mistake. It wasn’t potent, but it was enough to give them some nausea for a few days.</p>
<p>The sun has yet to rise, with the twilight of the sky hanging in the air. The village was silent, but some villagers had their lights open, moving crates in and out to prepare for the day’s work. Though, they’d stopped their work and craned their heads over to search for the commotion, which was by the beach, a small crowd standing near where he camped.</p>
<p>Naofumi had dealt with many stubborn people before, and this was no exception. However, it has been getting troublesome lately. The only good that he could see in this situation was they weren’t after his identity as the Shield Hero, unlike the suitors back in Siltvelt who’d outright demanded him to marry their daughters, accept to be some nobleman’s son, or just tried to kidnap him for ransom in general. The sheer number of times where Motoyasu thought about him being a helpless little girl who would cry for help while his captors held him with a leash was astounding.</p>
<p>“I tricked you how?” he retorted, rubbing his eye. He still needed to make breakfast for the townspeople. He was considering just walking past them and let his defence do the talking. “I even ate one in front of you. It’s either you all being weak or I’m just too strong to be affected by an expired poison.”</p>
<p>“So you <em>knew</em> it was poison!” Mald lashed, getting spit on Naofumi’s face. Naofumi calmly wiped it off with the back of his hand and smiled.</p>
<p>“And it’s my fault that you people came storming in here and demanding things?” Naofumi scoffed, his expression turning spiteful, looking at them like they were lower than the dirt he stood on. “Grow up. I know the Heroes are incompetent, but I never knew they were bullies as well.”</p>
<p>He wasn’t lying. Back in his world, Itsuki’s arrows barely skidded off his shield like he was blocking pebbles. Ren always hid in some other country like a loner. Motoyasu and Naofumi were practically the only ones doing any real damage, which was depressing, because Naofumi didn’t even have attack power. It was a measly 11 whilst Motoyasu’s skyrocketed level after level, which racked up to a grand 5000.</p>
<p>As uncharacteristic it might seem, Naofumi’s smirk didn’t recede, even when Mald fisted his collar and lifted him off his feet, his face only inches from his. They were so close that Naofumi could smell the lingering scent of poison and alcohol.</p>
<p>“You’ll regret what you just said!” Mald spat, trying to intimidate into submission. Being relatively small and light, it was a perfect cover for an illusion for Sakura. Sakura was light too, but her strength was unrivalled, surpassing even Naofumi and Motoyasu’s.</p>
<p>“If ignorance and stupidity have power, your precious Hero would be king of the world.”</p>
<p>The knight seemed stunned at his rebuttal, his brain taking time to process the insult he just heard. The redhead who stood by him understood what he meant, probably because she’d heard those insults somewhere else and never had the chance to retort. She grew red like a balloon and glowered at her, conjuring up the worst revenges she could think of. Including but not limited to: selling him into slavery, humiliate him in front of the whole country, pay a group of bandits to rape him while broadcasting it to the world, or keep him around as a slave. Naofumi knew what she was thinking, because he almost got into all those situations before he retired.</p>
<p>Naofumi had the audacity to yawn, as if this was only another boring routine. None of their party members looked troubled that they were picking on a defenceless young girl. It was like it was a regular occurrence to them. Only more reason for Naofumi not to give them any ounce of respect, even if it was his strict #1 morale code: never disrespect or poke fun of his enemies.</p>
<p>Mald, enraged, screamed and threw Naofumi to the ground. He landed on the floor roughly, coughing up sand that got into his mouth. He could feel sand trickling into his jacket. He’d changed into it after realizing how unpractical the Barbarian armour’s undershirt was. “YOU DARE!” he bellowed, stepping on Naofumi’s stomach with an armoured boot, digging his heel into skin.</p>
<p>For one, Naofumi was relieved that it had been him, and not anyone else. But this angered him. How many defenceless people have they terrorized before him? How many innocents did they wound because they didn’t get their way? Those facts were enough for him to decide that they were nothing but scum. If they were in Siltvelt, he’d sentence them to public execution, and he would do it personally. He would kill them slowly with his different shields and poisons.</p>
<p>Despite the man’s weight, it did not hurt. Naofumi felt no pain. He stared at the man who stood on him, and wiped the soles of his boots on his clothes. His expression was scornful and pride, like this was something to be bragged about. The other party members did nothing.</p>
<p>“The God of Siltvelt commands you—” Naofumi chanted, low enough for them to overlook it.</p>
<p>The redhead’s expression curled into a vicious smirk. “There’s no one here to save you, girl! Ha, ha ha!” She laughed, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. “This is what happens if you disrespect Sir Motoyasu’s name!”</p>
<p>“—overwrite the laws of nature and bestow my target a vampiric ground of vitality. <em>Draining Field</em>!”</p>
<p>They realized his magic casting too late. The ground around them glowed bright blue, lighting up the dim nights. A dome encased them, closing in as mist emitted from their bodies, draining to the forcefield that trapped them. The more mist it absorbed, the brighter and smaller it got.</p>
<p>Mald was forced to back away from Naofumi, looking to his surroundings in surprise. The ground had a magic crest at the centre of the dome. They were backed into a corner, and they could not escape.</p>
<p>“W—what kind of magic is this?!” Bitch shrieked, staring at her hands. A blue mist was being pulled out of her, and fuelling the forcefield. “My Magic Power! It’s—it’s being drained?!”</p>
<p>“The God of Siltvelt commands you, strike the foolish who dare step upon my grounds with a lingering curse. I command the lands they stand on be their tomb of power and magic.” Naofumi glared at them. There were small, trickles of light that leaked into his back, which was where he put his shield. His eyes glowed bright sapphire as he stole their MP, their reserves draining into the negatives, until there was an exclamation mark blaring in their vision. “May they never cause harm to another living soul! Punish their foolishness and revoke their power! <em>Recovery Seal</em>!”</p>
<p>The dome broke apart into scattered lights, almost like glowing snowflakes. Instead of disappearing or falling to the ground, they stuck to their skin, making them look like a walking Christmas tree on a dark winder night. The particles dissolved, spreading under their skin like a pool of luminescent light. The Mages in their party fell to their knees, barely holding themselves up as their magic leeched away from them like warm butter dripping from fingertips. Naofumi’s expression was emotionless, yet there was a dark shadow casting over his face, resembling one of calm anger, that he couldn’t care less if they died.</p>
<p>Eventually, the lights died down, and the people who tried to terrorize him no longer had the gall to. Those who weren’t magic orientated still remained standing, weapons drawn as they debated the option to fight him, or help their teammates retreat to get help.</p>
<p>“What?” Naofumi asked, his voice strangely detached from any emotion. It was mockery, a near-maniacal tone that appeared whenever he put his enemies into their place. He stepped closer to them, his short figure suddenly towering in fear. “Are you all bark and no bite?” he sneered, walking closer to the knight that dared come close to him before, who threw him like a ragdoll and prided himself for him. “Are you just a bunch of cowards hiding behind your Heroes’ backs?”</p>
<p>When he received no answer, his nose scrunched in disgust, and turned from the cowering group. Brushing sand from his clothes, he turned to the direction of the kitchen, only to pause as he felt a the collar around his neck snap into half, the cloak sliding away from his back, and it was only then he realized his mistake. It was not lethal, but it was crucial.</p>
<p>He whipped around in anger to the petty knight, the shield on his back beginning to glow dangerously. The knight’s expression was one of triumph, as if he found a weakness in Naofumi. He gripped the cloak in one hand, whilst his face was twisted into a crooked, crazed grin. He was sweating profusely, yet he managed a shaky laugh, one that looked down on Naofumi.</p>
<p>“Ha!” he cackled, his body wavering as he chortled with laughter, getting his spit everywhere. “Ha, ha ha! You filthy demihuman! You shield devil worshipper! I will have you killed in the name of the Holy Heroes!”</p>
<p>Another round of laughter echoed from the rest of his party members, including the Mages that were collapsed on the ground. It was a pathetic sight, where a group of hero’s companions defeated by a single person were provoking their enemy in the most petty, humiliating way ever. Even Bitch had the gall to laugh, holding herself upwards with her sword. They were laughing at him. The display of power didn’t matter. They were laughing because they think of him as a being lower than them. They were laughing at <em>Sakura</em>’s face.</p>
<p>“Sir Motoyasu will have your head for this, filthy demihuman!” Bitch shouted.</p>
<p>Demihuman, she says?</p>
<p>Motoyasu will have his head, she says?</p>
<p>Naofumi knew how Motoyasu despised his former self, which was the him who listened to this Pig’s every given word. How she ruined his life and used him as a tool. Motoyasu often beat himself up because of this mistake. She was the cause to everyone’s suffering.</p>
<p>He wasn’t mad about her belittling him. Not in the slightest. However, he was furious over how she used Motoyasu, and how she dared insult the only people who cared for him. The people whom he saw as family, even if they were overprotective, even if they were both extremists.</p>
<p>“Huh,” Naofumi snarled, looking absolutely like a feral animal now, ready to pounce at any given moment. “I killed many monsters without any attack. Your levels are so low that you can’t even dodge my skill. In what <em>world</em> do you think insulting me would do you any good?”</p>
<p>He couldn’t attack, but judging by the look of her armour, she wouldn’t be capable of swimming in that. The sun hasn’t risen yet, so no one would go out to sea to finish. If she could drown fast enough with her yelling and flailing, then the murder case wouldn’t come back to him. All he needed was to summon a random high-levelled monster to be rid of the evidence.</p>
<p>Instead, Naofumi released a sigh, ridiculing himself for falling prey to his anger. These people were less than dirt, and he shouldn’t have spent his time on them. He still needed to make a hundred sandwiches in two hours. His head was beginning to ache. He was beginning to remember his days sitting on the throne, listening to angered nobles who’d outright insult his race. Motoyasu wasn’t always with him (especially after getting another fifty fillolials) so Naofumi learned to fend for himself. Unfortunately, he’d spent too much time with Motoyasu, and his sadistic behaviour was rubbing off on him.</p>
<p>Looking up, he glowered at the knight who was still holding his cloak like a trophy. He doubted he would wear anything that they touched. So, turning on his heels, he left to the kitchen and never looked back. They could thrash his tent for all he cared. The only thing they would find was their energy wasted over such trivial tasks.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Naofumi sat crouched on the stairway, a stack of books piled by his feet, his side and on the step behind him. Each one was in different colour, but their spines were tied in the same string. The faint echo of children’s voices omitted from outside, followed by a shriek of laughter as a miniature explosion occurred. He paid no mind to the disturbances, keeping his eyes on the sea of words, each sentence depicting a spell written from ancient times.</p>
<p>After mere minutes of reading, he was quick to note that there were minor differences from what he learnt in his previous world. There was a chance that Siltvelt and Melromarc had different incantations for the same spell, but the purposes weren’t similar. In Siltvelt, a <em>Zweite Heal</em> would heal the target’s health bar, but not numb the pain. In Melromarc, <em>Zweite Heal</em> would heal injuries and numb the pain, but the health restored was lesser by 35%.</p>
<p>He took the new information like fish to water. He read and read, book after book until the bells of noon came. It was only then that Naofumi realized he’d forgotten to prepare the food. Horrified by his forgetfulness, he closed the book and sped towards the kitchen, a new cloak around his shoulders. It was forest green, similar to Motoyasu’s fillolial-feathered coat, but lined with Sakura’s feathers. The feathers have been a gift from Sakura, because she said she wanted a piece of her to always be with Naofumi. It was a sweet courtesy, but as a shielder, it didn’t have much use for him. Now, it finally had a chance to shine.</p>
<p>He ran past shocked villagers, and some tried to stop him, but he was overcome by the guilt of tardiness. Somewhere, he could smell the sharp, dusty scent of smoke, and it stopped him in his tracks, his head craning to search for the source. That’s when a demihuman woman finally caught up to her, panting, hand on her shoulder as she pointed towards the tower. The tower where Raphtalia governed the village.</p>
<p>It was on fire.</p>
<p>What happened next was a blur. Melty was here, casting water spells alongside other mages to put the flames out. They eventually succeeded, but the damage was done. The majority of the building was charred to its frame, and everything inside was burnt to crisps. Raphtalia and Filo were alright, with their battle instincts and level the main things that saved them from danger. A mage with green hair was consoling children who were crying, thinking their kind big sister and fun bird have died.</p>
<p>Raphtalia and Filo were both hunched together, holding a charred cloak. It was barely holding together, with the fabric badly burnt and scorched. By the tips of fur on the collar, it had once belonged to the Shield Hero. It was their only memoir of him.</p>
<p>Naofumi, meanwhile, couldn’t bring himself to face them.</p>
<p>He sat on the edge of the village, hugging his knees as he thought about his mistake. He didn’t think they would be this petty. He should have killed them. He should have ended them right there. Then this wouldn’t have happened.</p>
<p><em>Why?</em> He thought, expression darkening. <em>Why do I bring misery to the people around me?</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Why did I think it was going to get better?</em>
</p>
<p>He isolated himself because he would only cause sorrow for those who dared stayed around him. Motoyasu was trapped in a time loop, always trying to save him; Sakura was poisoned and stabbed and burnt to protect him, yet she was loyal to him as ever; Éclair was pursued by the kingdom she swore to serve, yet here she was, a fugitive because she associated herself with him. Now, by staying in this village, he’d taken away the only thing that Raphtalia and Filo had from their old master. He’d caused them pain and grief. Even his cooking brought them painful memories.</p>
<p>He should leave. This isn’t where he should be. He was foolish to think that this absurd curse would leave him if he left to another world to start anew. Now, he was stuck here, and he stupidly made a promise he can’t keep. Now he was stuck here, and he had no way to get back to his world. The only way out was to die… and his memories will start from zero, and Motoyasu would be forced to relive the loop.</p>
<p>He didn’t want to do any of this anymore.</p>
<p>None of this.</p>
<p>Opening up his status miserably, searching for a way to contact L’arc, only for his eyes to fix onto the main screen. It was where the information of his Levels, MP, SP and other critical knowledge. His eyes were trained onto his level, widening in disbelief and horror.</p>
<p>His level had reduced to 201. It had originally been 289.</p>
<p>
  <em>Why?</em>
</p>
<p>Without Motoyasu, he can’t level back up. None of his spells were attack-based, and the only option of attack he had was <em>none</em>. He was good for defence and support, but it was impossible for him to level up alone. Even with his 200 levels, killing a stupid balloon monster would take half an hour, and it would only give him a measly 1 experience point.</p>
<p>Why was this happening? Would it continue until it reached 1? He would be defenceless. He would die in this world. But that wasn’t what he thought of. His eyes glanced over to the familiar golden shield, the one that gave him the ability to cast illusions… its level of requirement had been 200.</p>
<p>If his levels dropped again, he can’t hide himself.</p>
<p>If he can’t hide himself, his appearance would cause a riot.</p>
<p>If there was a riot, he would be targeted and killed again.</p>
<p>If he was killed again, then he and Motoyasu would be sent back to the loop.</p>
<p>If they were sent back to the loop, Motoyasu’s mental state can’t handle it, and neither could Naofumi.</p>
<p>If they can’t handle the stress, then it was all over.</p>
<p>He needed to <em>leave</em>.</p>
<p>“Miss Sakura?”</p>
<p>Naofumi jumped in his skin. The princess from before was standing behind him, her fingers laced together in worry. She was staring at him, her lips moving as if wanting the permission to speak.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” she asked.</p>
<p>Was he? He was a wreck.</p>
<p>“This is my fault,” he deadpanned, turning away. He buried his face into his knees. “I shouldn’t have even come here. Do yourself a favour and don’t bother trying to talk to me. It’s for your own sake.”</p>
<p>“My own sake?” Melty demanded. “It’s not your fault! They were the evil ones. You were just defending yourself.”</p>
<p>“Keep saying that. You don’t even know what I’ve done, or how many deaths are on my hands.”</p>
<p>His level dropped by one. One more and his illusion shield would be invalid.</p>
<p>“I know you’re a good person,” Melty continued. “Maybe you’re just misunderstood or you have trouble expressing yourself. I can tell you’re not evil.”</p>
<p>Naofumi didn’t look up. Somewhere at the back of his head, behind all his misery, he felt like he was acting like a heartbroken teenager who was sulking over their latest breakup. He couldn’t bring himself to care. He was far too exhausted with the world and his fate. He wanted to curl up into a ball and tuck himself into somewhere dark and warm.</p>
<p>He must have been expressing a question of, <em>How do you know?</em> with his body language, because her next words genuinely surprised him. For seconds, she fell silent, and Naofumi assumed she was out of words to say. Royalty was never good with emotions, regardless of age. They were forced to seal their sadness and lock their doubt away, all for the future of their citizens. Naofumi knew how she felt.</p>
<p>“Because you remind me of Naofumi,” she said, her voice cracking. “The way you call me <em>Princess</em>, how you defended me from unruly people despite hating royalty, and… and your <em>cooking</em>.” She sniffled, wiping away tears. “Your personalities are completely different, but somehow, I keep seeing him instead of you. It’s been weeks since his funeral, but—”</p>
<p>Everything Naofumi was hearing was contradicting itself. Motoyasu said his counterpart had been so heartless that his brutality would surpass a demon lord’s. (Also, he said that the other him was gay, which Naofumi had began to believe when Siltvelt’s council wouldn’t stop pushing women onto him. He then realized that he, in no shape or form, is and will never be attracted to anyone regardless of gender.)</p>
<p>Yet the moment he came here, everyone lived in the Shield Hero’s town, treating it as a sanctuary. A place where they could be themselves. It didn’t suit any of Naofumi’s descriptions of his corrupt counterpart any bit. Then again, Motoyasu can’t be trusted with explanations. Maybe he should take his opinion with a sea of salt next time.</p>
<p>“Hey, Princess?”</p>
<p>“I have a name, you know.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure, your majesty. Do you know someone named L’arc Berg?” Naofumi stood, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand. His tears dripped from his hand and to his clothes, but he didn’t heed much mind.</p>
<p>The princess froze, as if it were the last question she expected to receive. Her eyes were wide, staring at him like he’d grown a second head.</p>
<p>Naofumi frowned at her. “Is there something wrong?”</p>
<p>“Why are you looking for him?” she demanded, cinching the hem of her skirt. “He disappeared after the Third Wave, and—” Her eyes widened. “The Wave! I completely forgot about it!”</p>
<p>“When is it?”</p>
<p>Going through another wave wasn’t on the top of Naofumi’s bucket list, nor did he have any good memories of it. He didn’t lose anyone important, but it was a reminder that he was useless. Motoyasu did everything, and all he did was block the occasional stinger that would deal next to no damage. The remembrances were embedded in his weapon, in the form of another shield. An eternal reminder that his power was given, not earned. The other heroes were out hunting monsters and saving villagers, while he sat atop a throne listening to farmers complain about their neighbours.</p>
<p>“It—it’s been weeks since the last one,” she stammered, paling. “It should be here in a couple of days—”</p>
<p>A roar of lightning echoed in the sky. The colour of air suddenly shifted to red. The temperature grew uncomfortably warm. Naofumi looked up, and saw colourful cracks opening up in the sky, like swirls in a geode, and monsters descending upon their land.</p>
<p>Naofumi turned to Melty, who’d grown completely pale. She’d turned back to the direction of the village, her mouth wide open as various monsters landed on rooftops, carts and nearly missing young children, all with shadowy figures in the form of a shapeless dragon. Even from a distance, Naofumi didn’t need an appraisal to know that they were more powerful than average wave monsters. The Shield Hero was dead, and this was the aftereffects.</p>
<p>With how the villagers are now, they can’t win. The village will be overrun, and everyone will die. Blood will stain the ground for the next decades, and this place will serve as a reminder, a warning for those who dare serve the Shield Demon. The scenario played through Naofumi’s head like a cassette tape, every outcome accounted for. All of them ended in blood and gore, unless…</p>
<p>Unless he helped.</p>
<p>This was his chance to redeem himself. He turned to Melty, gaze determined. He held out his palm, awaiting for her answer. “I need your help. Will you?”</p>
<p>Melty stared at him, as if he was insane, but putting on a brave face, she nodded. She took Naofumi’s hand, and they sprinted towards the direction of the village.</p>
<p>Even getting into the perimeter was challenging. Spells, weapons and the roars of demihuman beasts raged in the air, trying to protect one another. Naofumi ignored all of them and headed straight to the remains of the tower, the tallest building in the village. When Melty tried to cast spells to help, Naofumi stopped her and told her to trust him. Reluctantly, she did.</p>
<p>They ducked as a shrieking, overgrown lizard leapt and went for their heads, its mismatched jaws barely missing the tip of Melty’s hair. With a simple glance, it had been level 84. There was no chance that ordinary adventurers could win. As a group, they might stand a chance against one, but this was a massacre. They were severely outnumbered.</p>
<p>Naofumi sprinted straight in the tower, rushing up the crumpling stairs with Melty in tow. Melty yelped as she stepped on stairs that shattered upon her footing, but she calmed herself by squeezing Naofumi’s hand.</p>
<p>When they arrived at the balcony, lodging open the charred, wooden doors, they were greeted with an infestation of monsters. Melty acted on instinct, cutting all of them away with an <em>Aqua Slash</em>, but was quickly reprimanded by Naofumi.</p>
<p>“What’s your plan?” Melty asked.</p>
<p>Naofumi didn’t answer instantly. He let go of Melty’s hand and leaned over the edge of the balcony, teeth clenching as he noticed more and more villagers getting wounded and more blood was spilt. Buildings were torn apart. Everyone was fighting a battle that was seven against one. And at the largest monster, was Raphtalia, Filo, and the green-haired girl. They were fending off the biggest threat, but even they were struggling. Raphtalia’s sword did not cut. Filo’s magic did no damage. The girl’s swordplay was amateurish, and her magic was useless.</p>
<p>He sucked in a deep breath. Alone, his mana shouldn’t suffice at this range. But with Melty’s help, they could pull it off. Maybe barely reaching Raphtalia’s side, but it was worth a shot.</p>
<p>“Melty,” he said seriously, turning to her. “Do you trust me?”</p>
<p>Melty frowned, but nodded. “I do.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded, exhaling a shaky breath. “I need to borrow your mana,” he confessed. “I don’t know how much, but it’s to save the village.”</p>
<p>Shocked at the odd request, Naofumi expected her to turn and shirk, but instead, she nodded without a moment’s hesitation. She was willing to trust someone she met for a day, but why? She said he reminded her of this world’s Naofumi, but it wasn’t solid evidence. She was royalty, nonetheless. If she were under his branch of nobles back in Siltvelt, she’d lose her title within a day.</p>
<p>They stood at the edge of the ruined balcony, the walls reduced to debris, but they stood firm. Melty stood on his right. Naofumi held out his right arm, a flash of blue emitted from his hand as the shield was now on the back of his forearm, the jewel glinting under the red sky. Melty held her left arm out by Naofumi’s side. Her eyes had been closed, her form trembling. <em>She’s scared</em>.</p>
<p>Naofumi steadied himself. There were monsters crawling up the building and threatening to attack them, or pull them down. He ignored them. He chanted his spell loud and clear. As he began, they began to glow bright blue, a symbol growing beneath their feet and a dome of energy forming around them. As he chanted, the dome grew and grew, expanding towards the entire balcony floor.</p>
<p>“By the power of the Holy Shield, I ask of you, the creator of the lands and the stars above—”</p>
<p>Melty’s eyes snapped open, frozen in shock. Sakura wasn’t standing next to her anymore. It was a man in otherworldly clothing, the image of Sakura disappearing like fog clearing in a summer’s day. She daren’t release her stance, but as she looked around, the monsters were right next to them, but they didn’t approach. In fact, they looked scared to come close to the growing dome they were creating. They were making this field of light, and they were the beacons in the darkness. No. <em>He</em> is the source of hope and light. Melty was just a contributor in hundreds.</p>
<p>“—I offer my vitality as a sacrifice to my people. Turn my energy into a spring of life, and return the light of hope to those broken in battle. <em>Garden of Eden</em>!”</p>
<p>Then, like a magnificent glass ball shining under the sun, the dome’s size enlarged, every side charging to every corner of the village, diving towards every building, people, and monster like a tsunami. The dome was large enough to stretch high and wide, and the villagers were all surrounded in a blue mist, Melty included.</p>
<p>Melty stared at her hands. There was a faint blue aura emitting from her skin. She suddenly felt more powerful. And unlike any attack boosts, she felt like she had magic power overflowing in her, and she could cast spells without getting tired. She looked at her stats, and realized that every single one of them had been boosted, especially her Mana and SP bar, both regenerating at ungodly speeds. It was like she could cast spells infinitely.</p>
<p>All except for the health bar.</p>
<p>“Go,” the stranger said, his hand still held out. His left hand was holding his right arm, as if supporting it. “All I needed was a base stat high enough to cover the village. They need your help.”</p>
<p>Melty gaped at him. The man was surrounded in a bright, sapphire light, like an angel in the depths of hell, a beacon in the face of darkness. His voice was distorted from the flow of magic.</p>
<p>“But, you need help!” she sputtered. “My mana regens now. I can help—”</p>
<p>“Your mana reserves are too low. You’d be exhausted in a second,” he rebutted. <em>“Go.”</em> It wasn’t a suggestion. It was a command.  His tone made Melty want to salute to him and bow to him as his subordinate.</p>
<p>As Melty made her way down the stairs, she cast one glance at the powerful stranger. There was a brighter light on his arm, as if it was how he was casting this level of magic. She’d never seen anything like it. A spell that boosted every stat but health. And it regenerates MP and SP, which should be, by logic, impossible. Hearing more shrieks of the monsters beyond the walls, she shook her head and charged outside, her spells at the ready.</p>
<p>Naofumi grunted, keeping his eyes on the blue-haired girl as she made her way towards Raphtalia and her party. She was suicidal and nuts. No royalty in the right mind would risk their lives to go out in battle.</p>
<p>Yet, what had he been doing the past few years?</p>
<p>He sighed, but he was grinning. Sweat began to roll down his cheeks, and a quarter of his MP was getting eaten away. Without an army of mages behind him, he wasn’t sure how long he could hold up. To him, limits were something distant and unknown. Everything was handed to him on a silver platter. Time to test how long he can hold on with no one by his side.</p>
<p>In only a few minutes, the tide of the battle was turning. Slowly but surely. With the limits of their SP and MP now removed, healers casted large-scale spells that they would usually reserve as a last resort. Mages unleashed a whole torrent of spells upon the monsters. Fighters charged headfirst with stacks and stacks of stat boosts. Even children, who would usually tire out at one spell joined in, firing minor fireballs and earth strikes and water slashes at the smaller monsters. Archers released round and round of arrows that hit their mark.</p>
<p>The fight was bashful. They had no coordination. They had no strategy. They had no superior that commanded them to fight. It was a raw emotion that Naofumi couldn’t recognize: the desire to protect their home. The place where they loved and chose to settle in. Their passion was enough to push them into the line of fire to defend their land.</p>
<p>It was something Naofumi had never saw before.</p>
<p>His MP bar was closing to half. It was a miracle he lasted this long. How much time has passed? Five minutes? Ten? How long could he last? If Raphtalia and her party manage to take out the larger threat and help the others, they would stand a chance. If the Three Stooges could end the Wave Boss, then they would survive. It was just a matter of time. The longer it took, the slimmer the chance of survival.</p>
<p>It’s been twenty minutes. At least Naofumi thought it was. His MP bar was in the red zone, and there was a warning text flashing in his eyes like a blinding neon light. He ignored it, but it grew brighter and more urgent. Stop, his body told him. He cannot last this long. He looked down and saw there were still monsters left. The sky was still stained the colour of blood. He can’t stop yet.</p>
<p>Finally, after what seems to be an eternity, the sky cleared like storm clouds leaving after a thunderstorm. Naofumi cut the spell instantly, his arm stiff and shaking with exhaustion. His clothes were soaked in sweat, and his breaths were deep and slow.</p>
<p>The Wave is over, and this village was safe. Then, he collapsed backwards, eyes closing in exhaustion. The last thing he saw was a face framed with blue hair, and a shell-shocked expression on the girl’s face. His eyes closed, and he was back in the land of silence.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Party</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>ACCURSED SHIEEEELD!</em>
</p>
<p>Like being struck with lightning, Naofumi snapped awake, his body jolting to life before his eyes did. In an environment he didn’t recognize, he momentarily succumbed to raw instinct and threw his body sideways. He felt his sides hit the floor, and a loud thud echoing beneath him. Shocked to his senses, Naofumi opened his eyes in horror, only to see himself in a foreign room, the setting sun’s twilight casting from the window. His mind was in a frenzy, already thinking of ways to escape, even if there weren’t any signs of captivity in the beginning.</p>
<p>Naofumi gritted his teeth, picking himself up. His eyes darted to his sides, checking for any indication of attempted burglary, and found none. He was still wearing his jacket, jeans, and sneakers. Nothing was out of place, if not, a bit dustier than he remembered it. He could still access his status, and there weren’t restrictions on his skills and spells either. If he wasn’t captured, then, where is he?</p>
<p>His mind still rang like alarm bells, but it wasn’t to his surroundings anymore. It was the voice in his head, the one that had woke him. The owner of the voice was hostile towards him, and whoever it was, Naofumi didn’t know them. Like the others, it was familiar, but they weren’t notable to put a name in his memory. Yet somehow, whenever he thought of that voice, an unpermitted rage rose in him like fire licking at kindle. It wasn’t just anger. It was hatred. Pure hate.</p>
<p>But what was it?</p>
<p>“—they’re resting right now, so you can come back later—”</p>
<p>“It’s fine. Just help me pass a message.”</p>
<p>Naofumi whipped towards the door. He was in a single room with wooden floors and bed. There were no other decorations here, only the window that led to the outside. He could hear footsteps now. Dull throbs like heels on soft wood. They were coming close to him.</p>
<p>He glanced out the window. It was only one floor down. If he jumped, he would survive, but he doubted that downstairs wasn’t unguarded. There would surely be someone who would spot him. And if he disappeared from here abruptly, it would decrease his chances of escaping. He’s been held in many dungeons (and sadly, bedrooms) before, but he’d never been in one where he wasn’t tied up in at least twenty different ways. His mind was in shock, and he couldn’t process what he was seeing.</p>
<p>The door opened. There was a girl standing at the door, her fists clenching the hem of her skirt. She was staring straight at him, her lips twitching as if looking for words to say, but they never came. She was even more distraught and nervous the first time Naofumi saw her.</p>
<p>“Is that really you?” she croaked, finally finding her voice. “Are you… Naofumi?”</p>
<p>Naofumi blinked, haven’t expected such an outcome. His mind instantly jumped to the conclusion that he was in enemy’s grounds. Maybe it’s his second nature now, after being treated like a bargain chip for so long. But what was he supposed to reply? Yes, he’s Naofumi, but he’s not the Naofumi of this world. He didn’t have the heart to tell this girl that he was here because the Shield Hero’s killer asked him to. If he didn’t answer, he would be charged as an impostor, and sentenced to punishment.</p>
<p>He glanced at his levels. It was now 199. Originally, it should have dropped straight to the 190, but his support spell during the Wave must have given him some portion of the experience. He still didn’t know why his levels were dropping, but it was not a good sign. At this rate, even level 60 assassins would be able to subdue him, and he wouldn’t be able to defend himself.</p>
<p>Facing Melty’s upfront confrontation, there was nowhere to run, unless he jumped out of the windows. He could lie, but he’s tired of it. Tired of spouting false words to calm the hearts of others, all the while sealing the truth to himself for the greater good. He remembered how he executed Takt: rounding up the women by declaring his victory, and executed them in public before they even had a chance to cry out Takt’s name. Everyone applauded his actions and worshipped him even more, but it gnawed at him. He was taking advantage of others’ emotions.</p>
<p>Sighing, he turned to Melty, shoulders sagging. This charade wouldn’t last long anyway—he knew that from the very beginning.</p>
<p>“No,” he said steely. “I’m not from this world. Where I came from, I’ve never even met you.”</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure what kind of reaction he would be getting. Shock, disbelief, and maybe even anger. Anger because she believed he was deceiving her. Furious because he dared to show up in front of her after losing someone who looked like him. Instead, she stared at him, her expression a blank page.</p>
<p>“Why?” she asked. “Why are you here?”</p>
<p>Naofumi crossed his arms. Girl or no, she was still Melromarc royalty. “And why do you believe me, Princess?” he retorted. “I could be a villain. I could be just as evil as the Naofumi you know.”</p>
<p>Melty shook her head. She closed the door behind her, and turned to him with a stern expression. She was holding back tears, but she was putting up a brave front.</p>
<p>“The Naofumi I know isn’t evil at all.” Her voice was strangely clear, in spite of her shaking form. “And neither are you. You were willing to risk yourself to save people you don’t even know. You have tremendous power, but you chose to use it to help the village. Different worlds or not, I know you’re the same as him. Selfless, trouble expressing yourself, and always there when someone needs you.”</p>
<p>Naofumi’s arms were crossed, his eyes cast aside. He wasn’t looking at Melty, but he could feel her gaze boring into him. Every bit of her words was false. He was the most selfish person he ever met. Not one day where he would pass without thinking how to exploit others for his own gains. And she called him selfless? Young girls were unbelievable. He turned to Melty, but she wasn’t alone anymore. There were two others standing behind her, both leaning in behind the door. One had chestnut hair, the other blonde with the tip of white feathers poking out.</p>
<p>Sensing his gaze on them, the two sheepishly receded from their hiding spots, and joined Melty’s side. One of them looked more torn than the other, holding her own hand in front of her chest. Raphtalia’s ears were flattened against her head, her tail hanging low and tense. Like Melty, she was struggling to find her voice, but couldn’t even find the words to say.</p>
<p>“You’re not Master?” Filo asked, her expression crestfallen. “Master smells different. You’re not Master.”</p>
<p>He shook his head, sighing. He was more exhausted than anything. “I’m not,” he agreed. “This is why I hid myself. I apologize for even showing myself to you, but—”</p>
<p>“That’s alright,” Raphtalia said, cutting him off. There were tears in her eyes, and her hands laced together as she smiled at him. It was a relieved, grateful smile, one that was thankful towards him. Naofumi was taken aback, surprised by her genuine words. “You protected the village. You were willing to help us out. Why would you even apologize? If anything, I should be thanking <em>you</em>.” She bowed, her hair falling past her shoulders. Naofumi didn’t react to it. He was used to people falling to their knees when he walked into a room. “So, thank you for protecting this village. And for the meals. They reminded me of all the fun times I shared with Master Naofumi. I can’t ever repay you for any of this.”</p>
<p>“Don’t thank me.” Naofumi’s voice was strangely hollow. What was this sensation? Jealousy? Sadness? By avoiding a backstab and a betrayal, he’d lost the most important things he would find along the way. People that would be by his side through thick and thin, family who’d seen him in his lowest. If Motoyasu hadn’t saved him, would he be the one standing by their sides? Would his fate bring him to meet with the people that stood before him, just like his counterpart?</p>
<p>Naofumi Iwatani is tired. He is tired of being alone. As their God, people who approached him always had ulterior motives. He could never find someone who was genuinely happy to be his friend, besides Sakura and Motoyasu. Even Yuki was wary of him, because Motoyasu had told them that he’d become a villain that would rival the demon king, and she’s held it to heart since.</p>
<p>If there was a chance, could he restart, like how Motoyasu does? He wanted a second chance for himself.</p>
<p>Raphtalia straightened herself. This time, her expression was one of seriousness. Any trace of sadness and grief was gone, replaced by a fire that he would only see in battle.</p>
<p>“If you don’t mind me asking,” she started, her voice flat. “How exactly did you come to this world? You mentioned someone asked you to come, and Melty said you were looking for L’arc Berg.”</p>
<p>“So, you’re thinking he asked me to come here to kill the other heroes,” Naofumi concluded, without missing a beat. “Is that what it is?”</p>
<p>Raphtalia, to his expectations, nodded firmly, like it was the answer she wanted to hear. “Yes, but I know otherwise now,” she clarified. “But I have something to ask of you. This may seem selfish, but please, hear me out.”</p>
<p> <em>Hear me out.</em> The words that Naofumi would hear on the daily. The nobles would propose a request to him, always starting with <em>hear me out</em>. Their demands would always be something unruly, which he would swiftly reject without batting an eyelid. They would then threaten the lives of the people around him, or just sending assassins or false popes and priests after him. He had just as much worshippers as he had haters. It was a never-ending war between the believers from the God of the Shield and nonbelievers. Like the Three Heroes Church, his believers were fanatics.</p>
<p>Now, hearing Raphtalia say it, was enough to ruin his mood. It wasn’t fair to Raphtalia; she was innocent and had nothing to do with him. Despite so, it still left a bitter taste in his mouth.</p>
<p>“Let’s hear it,” he said anyway. He bit his tongue and awaited her next words, though he knew it wouldn’t be something outlandish or outrageous. He was no longer the king sitting on the throne greeting his subjects. He wasn’t the God that people would pray to. Here, he was just Iwatani Naofumi, a Shield Hero from another world.</p>
<p>Raphtalia let her hands down, and folded them in front of her abdomen. “Will you join our party?” she asked, surprising even Filo and Melty, who whipped to her as if she was crazy “I’m not implying anything else. With the Waves getting more difficult because of Master Naofumi’s death, we can’t improve as we are.”</p>
<p>Naofumi blinked. She was willing to see past the fact that he was an exact lookalike of her late master.</p>
<p>“I thought of what you said to me last night,” she confessed. “And you were right. I can’t keep dwelling in the past. Master Naofumi’s been preparing for my future all this while, and I can’t bring myself disappoint him.” She bowed again, this time, it was for a request. “Please. We need your help.”</p>
<p>“I need time to decide,” Naofumi said automatically. He was grateful for his autopiloted mind. Otherwise, he would have panicked. “Does tonight sound okay?”</p>
<p>Raphtalia stood straight and nodded, smiling warmly at him. She wouldn’t be smiling at him if she knew what he’d did to stand in front of her. “Yes,” she agreed. “That does sound good.” Turning to the door, beckoning Melty and Filo to her side, she turned to him one more time. “Everyone knows what you look like now. They all wanted to thank whoever helped them in the Waves.” She paused for a moment, as if to let him digest. “I’m sure they still want to give their thanks, even now.”</p>
<p>She left and closed the door behind him.</p>
<p>Naofumi stared at the closed door, sinking to the bed. The frame creaked, but all he could do was run through all the possible scenarios in his head.</p>
<p><em>No. Not this again</em>.</p>
<p>He lowered his head, his hands clutching clumps of his hair, fingers digging into his scalp. He could feel a migraine coming, and a wave of nausea and exhaustion. He shouldn’t have helped, if it meant everyone recognizing who he was. He didn’t want to be recognized by anyone. He was fine being unknown and alone. His face was already well-known for being the Shield Hero in this world, and if he went out, it would only cause a larger ruckus.</p>
<p>What was a way to hide away from society?</p>
<p>Naofumi sighed, resting his elbows on his knees. Usually, he would be the one setting up traps for his enemies to fall into. They would be wounded prey waiting for the slaughter. Now, the hunter has become the hunted. How ironic was it? It was almost poetic. He would join Raphtalia’s party, if it meant getting away from the life that he used to have, if it meant that people wouldn’t look at him like a demon or a hero or a god.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>“How are you feeling?” Melty asked, setting a tray of bread and coffee on the table by his bed. “Do you feel better?”</p>
<p>Naofumi, per the infirmary’s rules, was ecstatic to know that no one but the patient or the assigned healer could enter his room. Though, he was not ill, nor recovering from any drawbacks. His MP reserves were back to its prime state, its insane regeneration speed making use of itself. There were at least a hundred shields with their passives boosting only his Magic Defence and Mana Regen. He could be used as a battery for all he cared.</p>
<p>He looked up from the book, glancing at the princess. It was a spell book he stole from Siltvelt’s royal archives years ago, and has kept it hidden in his inventory ever since. He’d tucked it away under thousands of monster drops Motoyasu brought him, and he only remembered it now. Looking through the pages, there were more spells he could learn, but most of them were either useless or unusable in battle.</p>
<p>“Did you know there’s a spell that could make your opponent sneeze?” he muttered, flipping through the pages. Well-versed with the language of Siltvelt, there was no such thing as a language barrier, shield or not. “I should learn it to spite Motoyasu when he talks about Filo.”</p>
<p>There was no response, but be continued blabbering off in his own world. “There’s also one that fills your opponent’s bladder up by half, so they would have an urge to go to the toilet, but not enough for them to run off,” he read. “Who hurt these mages? They must’ve been really petty or childish to even think of these.”</p>
<p>Still silence. Disturbed, he looked towards the girl, which her expression was frozen between surprise and an existential crisis. She was staring at his face like he’d grown a second head. He frowned. “Did I say something wrong?”</p>
<p>Melty, noting that he noticed her stupor, shook her head, her pigtails swishing around her. She was blushing, like she was embarrassed because she was talking to a friend about a crush. “It—it’s just,” she stammered, trying to put her thoughts into words, “you’re smiling, and laughing. I never saw Naofumi did that, so it’s a bit of a shock.”</p>
<p>Naofumi remembered Motoyasu mentioning he was often stoic and hostile towards everyone, even young children and strangers. Adding to the hovering piece that he was someone who would exploit bandits, his other self didn’t score any good points in his case. He hadn’t even realized he was smiling to begin with. His eyes widened slightly, his hand moving up to his mouth as a response, and he felt his chapped lips opening in astonishment.</p>
<p>Perhaps it was second instinct. No matter how grim the situation was, he would always learn to enjoy the little things. He smiled when he waged war against Melromarc’s army. He smiled when he ordered a public execution that was described as gruesome, even by a torturer’s standards. He smiled while he waited for Motoyasu and his fillolials to return, with a cooked meal spread out for them.</p>
<p>He answered with a smile, chuckling as he turned back to his book. “Is that so?” he hummed, skipping pages. “I have a friend who rarely smiles too. She’s always serious about my safety, and I always asked her to loosen up, but she never does.” He thought of Éclair, always stoic and calm in the face of danger. He clicked his tongue. “The only time I saw her smile was when Queen Mirellia promoted her to Knight Leader. We haven’t seen each other since. It was two years ago, I think?”</p>
<p>“Oh,” was all Melty could say. “Were you two close?”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t say <em>close</em>,” he admitted, thinking of how she saw him as someone above her, and her duty was to keep him from harm, despite him wielding the holy shield. “She’s married to her work. Our relationship never went past bodyguard and the guarded. It didn’t help that the first few weeks in Siltvelt that I’ve been kidnapped and drugged more times than I can count.”</p>
<p>Before getting the Chimera Viper Shield, he managed to raise his poison resistance up to a master degree, all because everything he ate was almost guaranteed to come with a side dish of poison. He lost count of the times Sakura told him that her meal was poisoned, even after changing 12 different chefs.</p>
<p>“I see.”</p>
<p>At this rate, she’ll run out of brief responses to tell him that she was indeed listening. Naofumi was used to dragging out one-sided conversations in a political debate, to buy time, or just pure boredom. He would read a few books in the forest, petting a wild, timid monster while telling it the stories or spells he read. He never felt quite alone that way, and it was calmer than talking to real people.</p>
<p>“Were you someone important?” she asked. “Other than being the Shield Hero, I mean.”</p>
<p>Naofumi shrugged. Define <em>important</em>. “Not exactly,” he said honestly. “It’s just the fact that I got stuck with a shield. Some people worship you, others despise you, even the ones who act like they’re trustable.” His eyes slid towards her expression, every bit of her facial movement was taken note of. Malty was her sister, but she was disposed from the royal family after her crimes were revealed to the world. She had looked reluctant to give direct orders to Malty, when they were being unruly at the dining hall.</p>
<p>Gradually, she nodded, her expression falling in understanding. She was young, but she experienced similar situations. Her older sister had tried to kill her for the throne, and her father wasn’t as much of a saint as she thought he was. It was a big hit for her will to trust. If only bad people didn’t exist, they wouldn’t be in this situation. Then again, everyone has a bit of bad in them. The world was never black and white to begin with, but in their eyes, they were just sides that walked between a balance that could tip any moment.</p>
<p>“You’re really Naofumi from another world, right?”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded.</p>
<p>“Then what happened there?” Melty’s expression turned to one of worry. “Is Raphtalia and Filo still with you?”</p>
<p>“No,” he said quickly. “Filo doesn’t exist in my world. Raphtalia is one of Keel, my slave’s friends they rescued from Idol Rabier’s mansion. Other than that, I don’t know much.” He faltered, before correcting himself. “Motoyasu obsesses over Filo a lot, so I knew about her existence.”</p>
<p>“The Spear Hero?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Are you two friends?”</p>
<p>Naofumi fell silent. Where they? Did Motoyasu see him as a friend? Or did he just see him as someone he owed a favour to, because him from another timeline had been lucky enough to bring Filo into the world, and he felt obliged to stay by his apparent Father-in-law’s side? He never had the clear answer to it, either. He and Motoyasu did not have friendship. They were something much more complicated than that.</p>
<p>“He’s dependable,” he settled. “Overprotective. Helicopter parent type of overprotective.”</p>
<p>Melty didn’t know what the term meant, but she could only assume that it wasn’t a good thing, because Naofumi didn’t say much on the topic. His smile was there, but his choice of words was blunt and brief. Then again, Naofumi, other world or not, was always unreadable.</p>
<p>“Also,” Melty said, changing the topic. “There’s a message I was supposed to relay to you. It’s from the Sword Hero.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded, prodding her to continue. When he first awakened from his unconscious state, he recollected a conversation that had wanted to see him, but was turned down because they thought he was still out like a light. The person had left a message for him, and that was where the conversation ended.</p>
<p>“He says he saw your spell from far away,” she said. “And he thinks you’ll be useful in his party. This is his message: <em>After witnessing your display of support magic, I am now asking you to join my party to help save the world. You’re the only one I asked personally. Do not waste this opportunity</em>.”</p>
<p>Naofumi stifled a shrieking laugh, covering his mouth as he clutched his stomach, wheezing. Melty looked at him, disturbed, watching him wipe a tear from his eye.</p>
<p>“That sounds like it that came straight out of a cartoon,” he commented, hunching over to press his forehead on his knees. “Oh my god. He’s even worse than Takt when he tried to <em>cleanse</em> me from the face of the world.” He looked up, his reaction turning a complete 180. Instead of a humoured smile, he looked indifferent yet calm, the aura around him changing instantly. “Tell him I said no.” He sighed, clutching the bridge of his nose. “Because I’m joining your party.”</p>
<p>Melty’s eyes widened. “Really?” she gasped, sincerely taken aback. “Are you real?”</p>
<p>“I have experience with the Waves, so I can help you three.” Naofumi didn’t state the real reason. It was pathetic, anyway. No one needed to know that. “The only question is: are you willing to accept me? You watched the other me die once. Looking at me must be traumatizing, after all.”</p>
<p>“If Raphtalia doesn’t mind, neither will I.” Melty cinched the hem of her dress. “I’ll try not to get in your way, Shield Hero.”</p>
<p>There was a flicker of fear and doubt flashing in Melty’s face, but was covered up as soon as it came. Thinking that it was unnoticed, she carried on a light-hearted conversation with Naofumi. Unbeknownst to her, Naofumi saw everything, every detail. Yet he kept silent, going along with Melty’s flow.</p>
<p>She definitely minded him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Not Anymore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first days were always the worst. His first day as the Shield Hero, his first day on the run, his first day in Siltvelt, and now, the first day in another world and party. People say the first time was always a magical experience, but Naofumi didn’t have that luxury. No matter how many times he tries, he’s always doomed to meet a beginning where he’s kicked in rear and left on the ground; sometimes literally, sometimes not.</p>
<p>It’s the second day since Naofumi woke from his brief unconscious state, and he’s never left the room since. He stayed on the same bed, reading the same grimoire over and over again. He was wasting time, and quite possibly someone else’s. It was freshly past lunchtime, where Raphtalia brought a tray of boiled vegetables with bread, stating that it’s the best she could manage because of the sheer number of the villagers. Thanks to him cleaning up and repairing the kitchen, it was easier to manage; but cooking for that many people? It was nearly impossible especially when they were especially held up with repairs. Naofumi felt ashamed for sitting out on his original duty, and he was here laxing off and wasting resources.</p>
<p>He couldn’t remember the last time someone cooked for him. He didn’t eat anything that the chefs from Siltvelt served, always sneaking into the kitchen afterwards to make food for him and his party members. Motoyasu tried cooking, when Naofumi was struck down with a severe curse, and Éclair had to physically restrain the Spear Hero from feeding Naofumi slop that would kill a Zombie Dragon. (Who the heck puts hemlock in soup? It’s a miracle Éclair didn’t die from the stench.)</p>
<p>Naofumi checked his level again, as he sandwiched various vegetables between a slice of bread. Taste meant noting to him, as he didn’t care much about how food tastes as long as his stomach was full. It was going slower than before, but it was definitely dropping. Last he checked, it’d been 199. Now it was 196.</p>
<p> What happens if his level drops to 0? Could it happen? Or will he be forced to remain in level 1, and letting others protect him?</p>
<p>The door opened. Naofumi put down his shield and turned to the open door. Princess was standing there, her gaze calm, but there was a storm brewing behind it.</p>
<p>“Sir Shield Hero, we’re going to set off to our travels in a few hours,” she said, voice monotone. “Raphtalia told me to inform you.”</p>
<p>Naofumi’s face fell into a blank. “Okay,” he echoed her tone, hollow and emotionless. “I’ll be there.”</p>
<p>She left the room after closing the door. Some part of him, the repressed haven of his old self, was regretting ever badmouthing the girl, that he’s a prick for wounding her already damaged self-esteem. But that part of him is gone now, and he felt nothing; nothing at all. Royalty were never good people, and that includes him. People borne of rich blood were meant to battle each other to the death, using the dirtiest tricks and the ugliest means possible.</p>
<p>Before Siltvelt, he’d laughed at the stupidity of those spoiled brats sitting on thrones made of gold. Gems mined by the weak, shaking bodies of their people. Jewellery crafted by the bloodied, starving hands of their citizens. Never in a million years he would dream to become one of them, even when Motoyasu and Éclair themselves told him: <em>Siltvelt treats the Shield Hero as a God. You’re going to be seen as someone above royalty and the council</em>. It was all laughs and jokes, until that day he first sat on the silver throne, and his very first command was to carry out an execution.</p>
<p><em>How far I’ve fallen.</em> What will they think of him now? He could already hear Motoyasu’s surprised gasp, shouting: “Father!” and whatever will come out from his mouth was beyond Naofumi. He didn’t want to know what they’ll say. He’s not someone they’ll be proud of, especially when they think of him as some pure, innocent angel that wishes peace for all the land.</p>
<p>Would an angel ruin a life?</p>
<p>Would an angel destroy hope?</p>
<p>Later that day, Naofumi noticed from the window that Raphtalia and Filo were by a carriage. It was similar to the one Motoyasu made before they got to Siltvelt, but more worn down and with a few adjustments.</p>
<p>“I hope you’re used to carriages, because Filo’s going to be pulling us for our journeys,” Raphtalia said cheerfully, a stack of crates in her arms. She was loading up the carriage with supplies, and by the looks of it, they weren’t light, yet she was carrying them like a pack of feathers. Naofumi made a mental note to never get in an arm-wrestling match for her to do the laundry. “Did you rest well?”</p>
<p>Naofumi glanced at the young, blonde fillolial, who didn’t even look at him once. Princess was already in the carriage, waiting for them to set off.</p>
<p>This was the start of an epic journey! <em>Not</em>.</p>
<p>“Are you sure you want me in your party?” he asked sceptically, face red with embarrassment and guilt. Fortunately everyone in the village were busy with constructions, so they were the only ones out here. “What about your food situation?”</p>
<p>Raphtalia dumped the last crates into the back. From what Naofumi could see, there weren’t much food supplies, mostly weapons and potions, and the occasional grimoire. They weren’t what Naofumi was used to, as he lived on a <em>Legendary </em>to <em>Divine</em> spectrum of items, courtesy of Siltvelt, but it didn’t matter much. It only reminded him that he was in another world, and this was his only chance to fulfil that promise.</p>
<p>But why did that promise matter so much, frankly?</p>
<p>“Melty’s hired some trustable chefs to take care of it.” Raphtalia brushed her hands together, stretching her limbs. “Come aboard. I’m sending you a party invitation.”</p>
<p>Just as she said that, a line of words appeared in his vision, written in light blue script. The language was no longer kanji, but Siltvelt’s language. It was ironic; he spoke Japanese all his life, and yet a foreign language from another world was his tongue now. If it weren’t the Shield translating for him, he was certain he would be speaking Siltveltian—or whatever they called it.</p>
<p>
  <em>Do you wish to join <strong>Raphtalia</strong>’s party?<br/>Deny    <span class="u">Accept</span> </em>
</p>
<p>Another line of words replaced the invitation as he made his choice.</p>
<p><em>You are now in </em><strong>Raphtalia</strong>’s party.<br/>Check <strong>Status</strong> to see list of <strong>Party Members</strong>.<br/>New <strong>Help</strong> Menu unlocked!</p>
<p>He would check those out later. For now, he had a journey to start.</p>
<p>For the first few minutes, everyone sat in silence. Raphtalia sat on the head, holding Filo’s reins, her eyes trained on their road, on the lookout for any monsters. It was late afternoon, so scraps of sunlight would poke through the curtains, the lights enough to see, but not enough to read. Naofumi didn’t mind the darkness, as he picked up a random grimoire that sat on a crate of potions and opened the first few pages, only for the words to light up, the entire page shining like gentle LEDs.</p>
<p>He kept flipping, searching for any unlit words, looking for the bits of spells he’d yet to learn. There was surely something he overlooked, right? Somewhere he didn’t touch. His eyes scanned pages and pages like a printer, every single ink and paragraph lit up, with a constant status: <em>Learned</em> popping up in the corner of his vision. For minutes, he flipped through different grimoires, gone through every spell, yet he can’t find one he never saw before.</p>
<p>He was stubborn, but even he had his limits. After closing the final book, he sighed in defeat, placing the book back where it belonged.</p>
<p>That’s when he heard the whispers. It was coming from the front of the wagon, where Princess had gone to sit after a minute of them alone. The girl didn’t mask her emotions well, acting out on them without a single ounce of thought. Either she was trying to make a point that she did <em>not</em> trust Naofumi, or she was really that horrible. Knowing royal blood, he went with the former.</p>
<p>He made no attempt to eavesdrop. It was none of his business. But his ears perked as he heard his title, followed by a lower tone of voice, saying: <em>I don’t want him in our party. It’s like we’re replacing Naofumi.</em></p>
<p>It was best to stay silent for now. Speaking out would only make things worse. So, he crossed his arms, lied down on the bench, and slept, blissfully ignoring the carriage’s ups and downs, and treated the grind of wheel on road as his song good night.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>
  <em>“I, the King of Melromarc, acknowledge this as a sacred duel between the Spear and the Shield Hero!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Then came the applause, but it wasn’t for him. It was for the withering king sitting atop his throne, wearing jewels that were worth more than a family’s lives. There were screams, but it wasn’t his. A scream for a name, shouting out for the young girl across him, spears and swords crossed between them. They were forcefully taken away, and he was dragged into the belly of a Coliseum, his final attempts at using a sword failed with electricity warning his fingertips. </em>
</p>
<p>He was woken by someone shaking him, though it must have taken a great deal of strength, because many had said he was like steel. Other than his levels dropping, of course. His eyes opened to a woman standing by him, her magenta eyes still shining in spite of the shadows.</p>
<p>“Oh,” Naofumi muttered, sitting upwards. He was used to being alert even after a nap, as he’d always needed to be on his toes. That being said, he barely slept during his reign in Siltvelt. “Are there assassins? Any signs of robed people?”</p>
<p>Raphtalia blinked. “No?” she said uncertainly. “I don’t… think so? We’re going to raise our levels. Filo’s guarding the carriage.”</p>
<p>“I see.” A fillolial guarding a carriage? That was news to him. The fillolials were always with them, helping him raise his level. Motoyasu refused to let his angels do anything trivial, though they were more than willing to. “Good luck, I guess?”</p>
<p>“You aren’t coming with?”</p>
<p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p>
<p>Naofumi pointed to himself, genuinely taken aback. “You want me to come?” he repeated, his tone surprisingly sceptical. She looked even more confused than him, as if to ask if he were out of his mind. “Uh, sure, I’ll come.”</p>
<p>As he followed her into the forest, Raphtalia kept casting subtle glances at him, each time longer than the last. Princess was with them, though she flanked Raphtalia’s left, acting like being near Naofumi would mean drinking a vial of poison. It wasn’t until they reached a deep enough section that Raphtalia finally asked what was on her mind.</p>
<p>“Iwatani,” she said, getting his attention. “Are you not used to fighting?”</p>
<p>The blush spread from Naofumi’s cheeks, to his entire face, down to his neck and up to his ears. She saw through him almost immediately. Her eyes widened at his reaction, putting a hand up to her mouth. She wasn’t expecting this. Just because he had a high level, didn’t mean he earned them himself, damnit!</p>
<p>“But, you’re the Shield—and that spell from earlier…”</p>
<p>“I’m not proud of it, okay?” Naofumi cut her off, though he was more ashamed than anything. He wanted to melt into a puddle of sewage and drain into the dirt. He doubted the dirt wanted him. “No one let me go out to fight, so it’s always my party members who gets all the experience points for me.”</p>
<p>The bush behind him rustled, and he sensed a foreign aura lurking. Instinctively, he turned around, and raised his palm at the source. “<em>Attack Down</em>!” Sapphire lights erupted within the leaves, poking out from the branches. A black-furred hog burst out, with a splash of eyes all over its face, tusks that grew like trumpets. A hoglin, and its eyes were a rare colour—gold.</p>
<p>Raphtalia acted next, unsheathing her sword almost instantly. She charged towards the monster, bringing down her blade at the monster’s neck, but it ricocheted off, like a hammer smashing into steel.</p>
<p>“Why aren’t my attacks doing anything?” Raphtalia demanded.</p>
<p>Princess raised her hand, and a crest appeared beneath her feet. “As the source of thy power, I order thee: decipher the laws of nature and blast my opponents away with a wave of water. <em>Zweite Aqua Slash</em>!” she chanted, and a series of crescent water blades hacked towards the monster, but they did no damage. The reflected attack went on to cut down trunks, sending trees tumbling down.</p>
<p>Its health bar did not budge. Other than the lingering status ailment, it had a special ability that Naofumi only remembered, and he cursed himself for it. Its level was decent, but higher than Raphtalia or Princess’s. <em>121</em>.</p>
<p>“It’s a rare hoglin. It copies the most powerful status of the person who attacks it first,” Naofumi recalled. He’d read it in a book once, and always wanted to meet one, but not like this. “It probably has my defence.”</p>
<p>Raphtalia shot towards him. “Any weaknesses?”</p>
<p>Naofumi gritted his teeth. “No,” he forced himself to say. He raised his palm at Raphtalia, his hand glowing blue. “The God of Siltvelt commands you, rewrite the rules that impede my target from striking down my enemy’s walls. <em>Armour Breaker</em>!” The same hue of blue surrounded Raphtalia’s body, especially her sword. “Hit it as hard as you can!”</p>
<p>Raphtalia ran towards the monster screaming, and soon enough, a fountain of blood spewed from the monster’s corpse, spraying onto the bystanders.</p>
<p>“Raphtalia,” Princess complained, her dress soaked in blood.</p>
<p>The Tanuki abruptly whipped around, covered and dripping in the same crimson liquid, as if only now realizing what she’d done. “Melty, oh no!” she cried, sheathing her sword. It seemed to be the only thing that was clean. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how strong the spell was.” She turned to Naofumi with a court nod and a meek smile. “That support magic was strong. Thank you for your help.”</p>
<p>Naofumi smiled back, nodding. “It was the least I could do,” he said. He wondered what Raphtalia and the other him did. Perhaps he acted as a true shield, defending her physically and not casting spells on her. He was there for her in spirit and in flesh, but that wasn’t him. He will never be the Naofumi she knew. “You’re pretty strong for someone in the 100s level.”</p>
<p>They all got EXP from the hog. Since it was a rare monster, it gave them a substantial amount of experience points, but it wasn’t enough to make much of a change to his own EXP bar. <em>13493/20000</em>. He was a good 6000 and more points away from reaching the next level, and it could decrease any second.</p>
<p>“I gained a level from that,” Princess noted. “It must be a pretty strong monster.”</p>
<p>Raphtalia nodded, her sharp eyes already looking for more. “It’s a great start,” she agreed. “Let’s see if we can get lucky to find at least five today.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Five?</em>
</p>
<p>What did she mean, <em>five</em>?</p>
<p>This place was crawling with monsters! Not one day where Naofumi could rest easy, because there were constant floods of monsters crawling to bite him. Even if he couldn’t see it, he knew from experience that there would be more than a sad five. Unless Raphtalia had been too strong and chased them away, but that couldn’t the case, even for heroes.</p>
<p>Raphtalia’s ears perked. “I can hear more coming!” she declared, unsheathing her sword. “Get ready!”</p>
<p>Naofumi sighed as her sword cut a feline monster into half. Screaming into battle, Raphtalia charged headfirst into the crowd of monsters, while Princess stayed by him (at least three metres away) helping her with spells.</p>
<p>He watched Raphtalia’s battle with shame. He was supposed to be the one out there. He was the Shield Hero and he was meant to protect someone from fire. He shouldn’t stand behind and let everyone do the killing for him. That wasn’t what he was meant to do. It’s not the job he was given. He was a Shield, he needed to stand at the very front, taking every attack to save his teammates.</p>
<p>Naofumi has failed as a Shield Hero. In name and in spirit.</p>
<p>“The God of Siltvelt commands you, enhance my target’s spirit with an energy that imbues their force. <em>Magic Aura</em>!” He pointed the spell to Princess. She glowed as a result, but her spells brought more weight, and her chants were shortened. She didn’t turn to him or thank him, and he would rather keep it that way.</p>
<p>Even though he helped with the occasional spell, blocking hidden attacks with <em>Airway Shield V </em>and more, dread only pricked at his heart, with the knowledge that weighed him down.</p>
<p><em>The fact that he was always someone that brings misfortune to others</em>.</p>
<p>He shouldn’t have come with them. They hated him because of his face, his presence, and <em>himself</em>. How foolish of him to think that he could ever find peace in this.</p>
<p>He made the wrong choice. He always did.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>“I’ll cook for tonight!” Raphtalia volunteered, already setting up the fire.</p>
<p>Naofumi blinked, carrying a stack of firewood in his arms. Princess and Filo were off hunting for fish at a river nearby. “You sure?” he asked. “I can handle it just fine.”</p>
<p>Raphtalia shook her head. “No no, you need some rest,” she argued. “Using so many spells must be taxing. There’s some Soul Water at the back of the carriage, if you need it.”</p>
<p>What the hell?</p>
<p>
  <em>If you don’t trust me, just say it!</em>
</p>
<p>It’s not like he needed their approval to begin with. He was only here to look after them for a while, and he’d leave when their world was destroyed. He won’t have to see them again, and they’ll just be another bypasser in his memory.</p>
<p>It’s not the first time a group didn’t trust him, either. It’d been a country. A council. A fellow Hero. There was an army out for his blood, all because of a lie. Nobody believed him over the princess’s words. There were only two people willing to trust him.</p>
<p><em>And Sakura</em>.</p>
<p>His heart ached when he thought of the young, strawberry blonde fillolial. How long has it been since he last saw her? She was at Motoyasu’s ranch, training the newest batch of fillolials as a senior. When he first decided to go into hiding, it was Sakura who shed the first tears. <em>Don’t leave Sakura alone, Naofumi!</em> She’d cried. <em>Sakura doesn’t want to leave Naofumi!</em></p>
<p>Some part of him regretted ever leaving her, but that’s too late. After all of this is over, he’ll go and find her. He’ll let her eat whatever she wanted, give her all the headpats she demanded, and ruffle her feathers until she’s satisfied. Despite Sakura having the appearance of a grown woman, she was still a child at heart.</p>
<p>Naofumi sighed, already wanting to call quits. He wanted to go back right now. Coming here is a mistake, and he messed up. He didn’t want another reminder that slapped in the face, screaming: <em>You’re not a Hero! You’re just a coward!</em> Slowly, he can feel himself suffocating, drowning in his own self-pity. It was stupid, it was trivial. He shouldn’t break over a few feelings like these. They were only phantoms in his mind. He can stop them.</p>
<p>He took a deep breath, turning towards the direction of the forest. It was getting dark, the sun setting, revealing the breath-taking twilight that painted the sky bright orange and purple. He thought back to his days in the castle, after every day’s work: standing on the balcony in his room, leaning on the fences as he let the fading sunlight grace his skin—it was the most sun he’ll get for the week. He remembered the soft breeze, and his hand reaching out to the sky, as if he could grasp a piece of the sky itself, so he would be reminded that there is something out there, somewhere beyond these palace walls.</p>
<p>Cooped up in a castle, surrounded by eyes and heard by ears, Naofumi had no freedom. Motoyasu was the one advising him, but even his words were dangerous and scattered. Éclair was silent, dutifully acting as his bodyguard, and never saying anything unless Naofumi asked her to.</p>
<p>He now realized, without Sakura, he would have lost his sanity long before the war against Melromarc. He hadn’t seen it before, how he depended on someone else.</p>
<p>Naofumi scratched his head wildly, grabbing bits of his hair as he threaded deeper into the forest. What use was freedom if all there was is pain? He was a bird out of its cage; free but away from his space of safety. His head was beginning to hurt, and tears threatened to spill from his eyes.</p>
<p>
  <em>This is a mistake.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Everything is!</em>
</p>
<p>Fuck.</p>
<p>Fuck.</p>
<p>Fuck!</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Motoyasu, Éclair,” Naofumi muttered to himself. He stood in the midst of a forest clearing, with blood still fresh on the grounds. There were glowing eyes, and soft snarls that hummed within the flora. He glared forward, the shield glinting under the setting sun. Closing his fingers into fists, and he lowered his stance.</p>
<p>The first monster charged. It was a Pill Rabbit. Naofumi growled, and punched. It was sent back from his strength, but its health bar was barely dented.</p>
<p>“But I don’t want to be protected.”</p>
<p>The Pill Rabbit hissed and lunged again, this time, with more monsters charging at him.</p>
<p>“Not anymore.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thus begins Naofumi's journey into utter madness and espresso depresso :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Mistake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite the man having the same face as her late master, Raphtalia was quick to pick up the differences between the two, since she’s devoted to be her master’s sword since she was freed. This Naofumi was nothing like the one she knew, especially their behavioural patterns. She wasn’t against Naofumi’s habits—it’s just concerning to see him smiling with her master’s face.</p>
<p>So it was quite alarming (yet reassuring) when Naofumi returned from the forest, soaked in blood and gore. By daybreak, where Raphtalia decided it would be time for their journey to resume, she caught a glimpse of movement at the corner of her eye, dripping blood. Whipping around in shock, she drew her sword towards the figure, only to see Naofumi yawning, stumbling from the trees. There was a trail of blood behind him.</p>
<p>She gaped, lowering her blade. Naofumi noticed her, and scratched the back of his head with shame. “I didn’t think this through,” he admitted, inconvenienced that his clothes were stained with crimson. From personal experience, blood was difficult to remove from cloth.</p>
<p>“Did you stay up all night fighting monsters?” Raphtalia asked, dreading the answer. The Shield Hero barely possessed any attack, and the monsters here were fairly high levelled, some more health than others. “But why?”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t say all <em>night</em>,” Naofumi muttered, flicking blood clots from his fingers. It landed on a leaf nearby, where it sizzled and caused the leaf to wither to ash. “I only killed one, then they all fought amongst each other.” There was a strange look in his eye, strangely familiar. Raphtalia remembered seeing the same gaze in her master’s eyes, when he first bought her. Because of the Shield, he can’t attack. He needed her just as she needed him.</p>
<p>To his credit, he hadn’t burned the forest down. Her master would have gotten so frustrated he would call it a night and spend his time compounding, a field and one of the few fields where he excelled at. Rather than using it for the greater good (read: making potions for the sick, brewing antidotes for the cursed), he’d dedicated his nights to combine various vials to soothe his anger. They can’t risk him losing his temper at the drop of a hat, courtesy of his Curse Series.</p>
<p>“I’ll…” Naofumi’s eyes trailed over to the direction of the river. Under the rising sun, they could hear the quiet rhythm of the water gushing down the stream. His expression darkened, barely finding the need to hide his disgust. “I’ll go clean up,” he finished solemnly, like he was walking into a suicide mission. His steps were heavier than lead, dragging himself to a secluded part of the water.</p>
<p>Raphtalia has found it a common occurrence to keep her questions to herself.</p>
<p>By the carriage, Filo and Melty were still fast asleep. The princess was tucked into the fillolial queen’s feathers, tuffs of her hair poking through the mass of fluff. Raphtalia decided that she would handle the rest of the preparations for the day, as none of them were up for any serious tasks just yet, particularly with Naofumi around. He looked disturbed, and he’d run off without eating anything. Did she hurt his feelings somehow? She hoped that wasn’t the case.</p>
<p>As she loaded the last of their supplies on the carriage, Filo and Melty were having their brief breakfast of bread and tea, but Naofumi has yet to return. Even after Raphtalia finished the last bits of her crumbs, the man has yet to return. Sunlight was beating down now, and there was still no sign of the otherworldly hero.</p>
<p>Glancing at the two younger girls, Raphtalia deemed that they could handle themselves for a bit. They were high-levelled, and no monsters came close at the break of dawn. She set off to the trail of blood, turning chocolate. It didn’t take long for her to find the hero, only a minute or two of a walk, where she found him sitting on the riverbank, his arms hugging his knees as he glared at the crystal-clear water like it was the cause of his family’s murder.</p>
<p>His clothes were still bloody, but they were beginning to dry and crisp up. The metallic scent hung heavily around him.</p>
<p>“Um, Iwatani-san—”</p>
<p>Naofumi looked up abruptly, alarmed at the sound of her voice. His eyes widened with something that transcended fear, something that ascended rage. It was a mix of hatred and frustration, as if he were staring at a headache that wouldn’t go away. “Oh,” he stammered, relaxing as he realized that it had been her, and not someone else. “It’s you,” he added uselessly, his arms around his knees unfolding. “Is there something wrong?”</p>
<p>Raphtalia kept her hand to her chest. She was used to the ugly scent of blood, but dried blood on the other hand, brought back memories she would rather forget. “We’re going to head out soon,” she said, tongue dry. “But you’re…” She glanced down at his bloodied attire. Was this what her master had worn before he purchased her? Other worlds sure were odd.</p>
<p>“I see.” Naofumi’s voice was surprisingly even, but he wasn’t looking at her anymore. “Give me a few minutes.”</p>
<p>“There’s some breakfast for you, if you need it.”</p>
<p>“I don’t.”</p>
<p>There was a sharp edge to his voice, like an invisible blade cutting through her good will. Every inch of him radiated, <em>I don’t want you here, nor do I want to be </em>here<em>.</em> Despite it was Naofumi who accepted her invitation, Raphtalia can’t help but think that she’d been the one to force him into this. It nagged at her, but her master also acted the same way. Except he was much more accepting towards her, and everything he did was always for her future. He was her second father. Instead, in spite of possessing the same face and body, this man acted more of a brooding soldier than anything.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, if he didn’t want to be here, then Raphtalia wouldn’t force him. When she turned back to him again, he was gone. This time, there was no path of blood in his wake, like their conversation had been nothing more than a fever dream.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Naofumi <em>knew</em> they didn’t want him here. He could see it in their eyes. The fillolial could barely cast a glance at him, preferring to turn away and pretended to be distracted by a bug or a leaf; she wasn’t hiding it discreetly, either. If there was anything he knew about fillolials, it was they were absolutely horrible at hiding secrets or explaining anything. He learned this from Motoyasu, because the man had been so invested in the talking birds that he’d adapted nearly all his traits from them.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the princess frowned at him whenever he wasn’t looking. She may think he’s oblivious to her atrocious stares, but Naofumi wasn’t born yesterday. He ruled a kingdom and eradicated corruption even without Motoyasu’s help. He knew when someone was spouting nonsense behind his back, especially when he met with royals from different countries to discuss alliances.</p>
<p>The Tanuki didn’t show it, but he knew better than to trust demihumans, especially a raccoon. Every single demihuman was a damn good liar, and they gave him headaches in more than one category.</p>
<p>Yep, this was all a bloody mistake.</p>
<p>“Are you sure you don’t need to eat something?” the Tanuki asked from the front, holding the reins. She didn’t turn to him, but he could see the loathing in her expression.</p>
<p>“No,” Naofumi said courtly. In each hand was an open book, the ink and words glowing, corresponding to his understanding of the language and magic. He’d changed his clothes to the undershirt, jeans and leather boots from the <em>Barbarian Armour </em>set, which was the closest thing to substitute his jacket.</p>
<p>She didn’t ask him anymore questions. For the majority of the journey, they travelled in silence, as they always do. At least, with him around. The quiet, but tense surrounding had a likeliness to when he stowed away to the Siltvelt’s royal archives during his duties. While Sakura and Keel were out getting experience for him, he remained in the castle, looking for ways to occupy his time. The royal archives were how he learned his spells and affinity: Support. The council was actively seeking to nullify his growth, but he was resourceful and sly.</p>
<p>For moments, Naofumi couldn’t sit easy. He shifted his position multiple times, sometimes knocking over a crate of potions and another time he accidentally combined <em>Fast Guard</em> with <em>Speed Down</em>, causing a miniature magical explosion in his face. His cheeks still tingled from the electricity his HUD gave him: <em>Warning. Spells not compatible</em>.</p>
<p>Yeah, it hadn’t been fun.</p>
<p>Other than the constant worry in his mind, he knew no other way as to why he was so restless. His institution guided him many times in the past, yet it was acting up, when they were travelling in the middle of nowhere, heading towards the nearest village whilst grinding. Some part of him was wary of what would lay before their path, but at the same time, he was also sceptical that their journey has been so at peace since. At any rate, they should have been attacked by some rogue monster by now, but there hadn’t been so much of a peep.</p>
<p>Something bad is going to happen. Like the calm before the storm, something of equal value would bar their passage. The momentary silence and peacefulness were liabilities they didn’t realize they owed.</p>
<p>Naofumi doubted the three girls would listen to him, so he shut up. He closed the book and set it beside him, keeping his gaze outside, onto the scenery that was beyond the curtains drawn shut.</p>
<p>Like he predicted, the carriage stuttered to a halt, and the fillolial’s surprised cries rang through the air. Like the monster, he could hear the princess’s voice, but it was leaning towards outrage rather than shock. <em>Here it comes</em>, he thought, dreading the unknown confrontation. At times like this, it’s best to—</p>
<p>Naofumi turned to the Tanuki, whose hands left the reins, and had taken a fighting stance. “Sit down!” he instructed, opening a grimoire with a hand. His free palm was directed to the fillolial. “I command you, decipher the laws of nature and let my target run rampant like a blade of wind. <em>Wind Guard</em>!” A blue glow surrounded the fillolial’s form, causing shocks of surprise. “Floor it!”</p>
<p>There wasn’t even time for debate, nor any questions regarding his choice of words. As soon as the demihuman planted herself on the seat whilst holding firmly onto the princess, she held tight on the reins while the fillolial ran faster than she ever did, gusts of wind sweeping by her side, aiding her speed and their escape. He was glad he accessed their affinities earlier, though it was common knowledge that all fillolials’ affinities are wind.</p>
<p>In the trembling carriage, Naofumi released a sigh he didn’t know he’d been holding. The book in his hand shut with a satisfying puff of air. A message flared across his HUD: <em>New Skill Acquired [Read Help]</em>.</p>
<p><strong>—</strong><strong>HELP</strong><strong>—<br/></strong><strong>𝔇𝔲𝔞𝔩</strong> <strong>𝔖𝔭𝔢𝔩𝔩</strong> <strong>ℭ</strong><strong>𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤</strong><strong>:</strong><br/>𝔄𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔰 𝔲𝔰𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔬 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔟𝔦𝔫𝔢 𝔱𝔴𝔬 𝔰𝔭𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔰𝔦𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔞𝔯 𝔠𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔟𝔯𝔢.<br/>𝔒𝔭𝔭𝔬𝔰𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔰𝔭𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔰 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔟𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔟𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔡, 𝔬𝔯 𝔟𝔬𝔱𝔥 𝔰𝔭𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔰’ 𝔪𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔶 𝔴𝔦𝔩𝔩 𝔟𝔢 𝔩𝔬𝔰𝔱.</p>
<p>This is new. It must be the effect of reading a grimoire from another world. At the very least, it could either be language, or the country itself. He wondered if he could utilize this to his advantage. He had hundreds of spells in his arsenal, and there’s endless combinations he could concoct.</p>
<p>“Tanuki,” Naofumi called, completely unfazed by their burst in speed. To the outside eye, they would’ve looked like a passing tornado. “Who was outside?”</p>
<p>Despite being mere seconds from being thrown off by the seats, the Tanuki did her best to answer between yelps. “It—it was the Bow Hero’s party!” she squeaked, holding the princess tight. “They said Sakura—<em>you</em> cursed them and demanded compensation.”</p>
<p>It clicked in his mind that those degenerates have taken his cape, that was made by his own hand. He learned sewing from Motoyasu back then. It might be pale in comparison to the blond’s skills, Naofumi was still grateful he picked up a new hobby. Kawasumi Itsuki, the Hero who wielded the legendary bow, was the only one with the skills to track something or someone down. His cloak served as a beacon, and he was their target.</p>
<p>With their head start, there’s almost no chance that they would catch up. He had no information of Itsuki’s tracking skill, but he knew for a fact that he could only glimpse at his signal once a day. They’ve wasted their confrontation, and Naofumi wasn’t keen to see the squirt anytime soon.</p>
<p>That bitch could drown somewhere, for all he cared.</p>
<p>
  <em>ɎØɄ'ⱤɆ ₴₵Ʉ₥ ₦₳Ø₣Ʉ₥ł; ɎØɄ ₭₦Ø₩ ₮Ⱨ₳₮?</em>
</p>
<p>And Naofumi wouldn’t mind sending Itsuki to his death himself.</p>
<p>It hadn’t taken long for them to reach the village. With his spell from earlier and Filo’s natural speed, they’d covered two days’ worth of distance in only a couple of hours. The sun has barely begun to set, and they still had time to grind more levels. That being said, Raphtalia didn’t ask him to come with them. He stayed in a separate room in the inn while the three left to the wild, essentially ditching him.</p>
<p>It’s not like it’s the first time.</p>
<p>Given the circumstances, it’s not surprising. They were very much vigilant around him, even as they had their lunch. Once again Naofumi skipped out on the meal, sitting beneath a tree whilst making use of his new skill. Wonderfully enough, his stomach didn’t growl once, but he was beginning to feel the fatigue of hunger. With his shield on his back, lying on the single bed, he held the book out and continued to read.</p>
<p>He’s starting to run low on his own finances. Maybe he needs to go out and barter to sell some monster drops he stored. After all, he hadn’t had any use for the armour loot he got in various wars and Bosses.</p>
<p>If he didn’t have his skill, <em>Perfect Balance</em>, he was sure he would be doubling over with starvation. He already skipped three consecutive meals, and his body was beginning to feel the weight of it. The inn forbade any edibles to be brought in the rooms, so they had to leave the majority of their supplies in their carriage which was parked in a stable somewhere, which he didn’t have access to. Showing his face around was a bad idea, with a capital <em>B</em>.</p>
<p>Were there any other options? He didn’t think of any. The only thing his mind could conjure up was the possibilities of someone bursting through the window and holding a sword to his neck. As ironic as it is, without Éclair, he didn’t go out to the market whatsoever, and that was <em>before</em> he made his way to Siltvelt. This was the first time he was truly alone with no allies to help him—or hinder him.</p>
<p>This world was going to hell anyway, so he might as well utilize it. But his face was a familiar one, and the one who he shared it with died weeks ago. It was a fact that it was still fresh in the majority’s mind, especially known for demonic crimes and atrocious decisions. Motoyasu wasn’t good at explaining, but he did manage to paint this world’s Naofumi as a full-fledged demon lord, which he wasn’t keen to repeat that history.</p>
<p>With the open book planted on his chest, his hands still gripping the sides, he stared at the wooden ceiling, mind drifting elsewhere. <em>What to do… what to do…</em> He promised L’arc to look after them, but they didn’t even want him here. Naofumi hated schemes, in spite of his reign as a lord in Siltvelt, destroying his enemies with elaborate plans and traps. He preferred if things were kept simple and straightforward.</p>
<p>But alas, nothing was.</p>
<p>Because as soon as he closed his eyes, there was a knock at the door. It couldn’t be called a knock, for it was heavier and leaning towards unruly pounding, where the person behind that entrance was keen on basing the wall down.</p>
<p>Naofumi sat up, closing the book. <em>Interesting</em>.</p>
<p>“Open up!” a gruff voice outside hollered. “Open this door this instant!”</p>
<p>This is strangely familiar, except the first time someone demanded to come into his room, he’d been taken to the palace and thrown before the king, accused of rape and assault. At least, not in this loop.</p>
<p>“Wrong room,” he called. The shield behind him glowed blue, already prepping a spell he just combined: <em>Blindness</em> and <em>Silence</em>. Their effect stats were lower than their individual spell, but it would disorientate them further if he cast them at the right time. He was never in the mood to handle confrontations, but this was the cherry on top.</p>
<p>“This is a knight’s order!” the voice barked. The door hinges creaked, tearing off the wall with the brute force. Then, the voice stopped, because there was another person coming through. Instead of demanding him to open the door, the newcomer argued with the initial man, and soon apologies rang through the air.</p>
<p>Naofumi blinked. He hadn’t been expecting this. There was another knock now, gentler this time.</p>
<p>“Sorry about that,” Itsuki chirped. “We’re here to return something. You mind opening the door?”</p>
<p>Return <em>what</em>? His sanity? Naofumi’s pretty sure he lost that years ago.</p>
<p>Naofumi is not going to open that door. Not in a million years would he ever listen to Itsuki of all people, where he could barely handle his own when all the other heroes left to their own endeavours. Not only was he blind, he was dumb.</p>
<p>But how did he even pinpoint his exact location?</p>
<p>“This is a serious matter,” Itsuki continued, much sterner. “I would appreciate it if you gave us your full cooperation, so no one will get hurt.” The hinges were hanging by a thread. If someone ran into it, it would fall. “We can do this the easy way or the hard wa—”</p>
<p>Before he finished, another force struck the fragile door, and the hinges finally snapped into half. The slab of wood collapsed, sweeping up dust. There was a group standing by the entrance, and a burly knight stood at the very front, armour covered in sawdust and moustache sprinkled with splinters. Unlike before, Itsuki made no attempt to chide the knight out, rather, shooting him a grateful glance instead.</p>
<p>These people just won’t give up.</p>
<p>Naofumi greeted them with a gentle smile, sitting crossed-legged on the bed as he closed the book in his hands. Despite his friendly appearance, the smile didn’t reach his eyes, nor there was any warmth in the glacial stare in them.</p>
<p>“I think you’ve gotten the wrong <em>room</em>,” Naofumi repeated, sounding surprised. “Have I done anything to offend the Bow Hero?”</p>
<p>Itsuki blinked, trying to register what he was seeing. By the confused look in his gaze, he didn’t know what to do. “Um,” he started, holding fabric in his hand. It was forest green, with fur sewed at the collar, held together by a dragonhead pin. It was the same cloak that the knight had taken from him at the beach. “I believe…” he stammered, holding out the cloak to him. “This is yours?”</p>
<p>Naofumi tilted his head. “How’d you know if it was mine? I don’t see any names on it.”</p>
<p>“This—” Itsuki looked like he’s been caught between an existential crisis and a broken lie. His expression turned to one of surprise and confusion. “I have a skill that lets me track down belongings to their owner,” he explained, still holding the cape out awkwardly. “It gives me details on it, as long as it’s been owned by them for a certain amount of time.” The nervousness in his posture slowly faded, and his grip on the bow tightened.</p>
<p>Naofumi’s eyes narrowed, his smile persisting. His gaze slid towards the hero’s party, now all taking offensive stances, raising swords and staffs towards him. “So,” he mused, smiling brightly at him. “You know who I am.”</p>
<p>Itsuki glowered, pointing a drawn arrow at his head. “Show yourself, <em>impostor</em>.”</p>
<p>The shield on his back glowed sapphire. “The only impostor I see here,” he said nonchalantly, standing from the bed, the arrows and spells following his every movement, “is you.” He raised his arms, tone suddenly changing to one of enthusiasm and brightness. “But that’s another can of worms to open. Is there anything you need?”</p>
<p>A sword’s blade came closer to his cheek. “You dare disrespect Sir Itsuki?”</p>
<p>“Am I?” Naofumi countered, the ambience around his voice soothing and light-hearted. He was like a calm, level-headed individual that would care for everyone around him. “So, what’re you going to do about me? Kill me?”</p>
<p>“We don’t have to overcomplicate things,” Itsuki said, glaring at Mald to stand down. “You just need to stop using someone’s identity. Have some respect for the dead.”</p>
<p>Naofumi nodded, as if he were really considering Itsuki’s words. “Hm, I see where you’re coming from,” he agreed. “But shall we settle this in a more civilized way?”</p>
<p>His smile was kind, but there was poison dripping from every word. Itsuki made a fatal mistake when he missed it entirely.</p>
<p>Momentarily, Itsuki’s eyes widened, taking his hand away from his bow as his fingers hovered in mid-air, like there was a screen popping up into his face. The dirty blond looked up to Naofumi, his face twisted into one of utter confusion.</p>
<p>“Is this a joke?”</p>
<p>Naofumi tilted his head innocently, like a toddler. “I’m sure you already saw my power back at the last Wave.” His eyes hardened to steel. “Then you can see whether if I’m an impostor or not.” He blinked. “I’ll even tell you how to get stronger, and every corrupted noble I know of. You can rid the world of its oppression.”</p>
<p>Itsuki glared at him. “And?” he demanded. “How can I be sure you’re not lying?”</p>
<p>“I have no reason to,” Naofumi replied. “Besides, even without my magic, you will learn how to be the strongest.”</p>
<p>It was a tempting offer.</p>
<p>Clenching his teeth, ordering his party members to step down, Itsuki tore his gaze away from the man before him, the HUD disappearing before his eyes.</p>
<p>𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔞𝔠𝔠𝔢𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔡 ℑ𝔴𝔞𝔱𝔞𝔫𝔦 𝔑𝔞𝔬𝔣𝔲𝔪𝔦 𝔞𝔰 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔶 𝔪𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Nothing But a Replacement</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>SHIELD OF ???</strong><br/>New Skill Unlocked:<br/><em>PARTY BREAK</em></p><p>
  <strong>* * *</strong>
</p><p>With all his experience in video games, never had Itsuki encountered a sprite that reanimated the dead, nor did he come in touch with any illusion spells so potent that it allowed the caster to overwrite their HUD. It was like the person that stood before him was <em>real</em>; an evil twin, perhaps, but definitely not the Naofumi that Itsuki had been familiar with. How evil can they be, if they apologized after someone running into him? Maybe the Naofumi he knew had been the evil twin all along, and he’d been too blind to see it.</p><p>He was one of the people who held the Shield Hero’s coffin over his shoulder. If anyone knows about Naofumi’s whereabouts, it would be him. Yet it didn’t explain why he had found him out of all the heroes, or he just had rotten luck. Naofumi wasn’t a ghost—he was sure of that. His party members could confirm it, as they could see him and touch him, some more than others.</p><p>Naofumi didn’t get along with his party members; or rather, he did not make an effort to. As they rested in the forest, Itsuki found Naofumi sitting far away from the fire, lying on a tree branch with his arms crossed behind his head. There were still shards of metal in his hair, probably when Mald tried to attack him but ultimately failed.</p><p>Itsuki frowned, holding his bow tight. He still didn’t know what he wanted. Maybe Naofumi had come back to haunt him for all the pain they caused him, but he didn’t make any move so far. Besides, he promised Itsuki to give him the secret of strength, so he would hold him to that.</p><p>“Not hungry?” Itsuki asked, trying to sound as amiable as possible. <em>Innocent until proven guilty</em>; it was a moral he picked up after Naofumi surrendered his life. He didn’t want to be a cause of someone else’s death. “There’s still food left.” He craned his head up, wondering how the man managed to scale the large tree. The trunk was easily thicker than three Malds.</p><p>Naofumi didn’t reply, nor did he move. In the night, his clothes blended in with the darkness around him. The only thing that Itsuki could catch was his silver shield and blue jewel. He didn’t remember the colour being so mute. <em>Hadn’t it been green?</em> Itsuki didn’t interact much with the young adult, but he was certain he never saw a shred of blue on his appearance, including the holy shield.</p><p>Still, Itsuki was miffed that he’d been ignored, especially by someone who made such a scene to convince Itsuki to add him in his party. He acted like an indifferent character from an old RPG game, or the secret overpowered character hiding themselves in a nonchalant manner. Perhaps this was what happened when a Cardinal Hero dies; a temporary replacement until they all kick the bucket.</p><p>“You’re not much of a talker, are you?”</p><p>Itsuki frowned as he wasn’t getting any answers. Could he be asleep? He would be legitimately impressed if the man managed to catch some shut-eye whilst being on a sliver from falling face-first.</p><p>Still, he kept his patience, craning his head to catch any glimpses of the man moving, any signs that indicated that he was awake and actively ignoring his presence. But after seconds—minutes, even; he was as still as a rock, his mind far away in his own world. Frowning, he raised his bow, and shot a mock arrow that whizzed past his head, the wind of the arrow ruffling his hair. This was what got his attention.</p><p>Naofumi pushed himself upwards with his arm, and looked down, a look of genuine surprise rising on his face. “Oh.” He adjusted his posture, holding onto the trunk for balance. “Do you need something?”</p><p>Itsuki shouldered his bow. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for a while.” He crossed his arms. “Did I interrupt something?”</p><p>“You have?” he asked, taken aback. “Sorry, sorry—my area-awareness is completely crappy.”</p><p>Itsuki found it hard to believe. He looked plenty aware when they confronted him in that inn. There was that dumb smile on Naofumi’s face again, like he was honestly apologetic and trying to play off the situation with a choppy chuckle. It wasn’t how Naofumi would act; he would know.</p><p>“You said you would teach me how to get stronger,” Itsuki pushed. “Are you going to keep your word?”</p><p>Naofumi slid down the tree with his hands digging into the tree’s bark. His fingers dug through the wood as if it were butter, leaving an ugly trail as his feet reached the floor. He brushed his hands together, flicking splinters from his fingernails and turned to Itsuki with a bewildered expression.</p><p>Naofumi shot him an incredulous look. “I’m assuming you want those answers now.”</p><p>The young teen nodded, his eyebrows pressed into a frown. “It’s the end of your bargain for joining my party. Or should I just throw you out for being dead weight? As long as you’re in my party, you’ll contribute.”</p><p>“Then I assume you’re accountable of your party’s behaviour back in Iwatani?”</p><p>Itsuki glared. The atmosphere suddenly turned heavy.</p><p>Naofumi’s eyes were sharp, his smile morphing into something that could cut steel. He wasn’t as tall as Naofumi, his height only a few centimetres taller than the teen, but the aura he emitted was a hundred times more suffocating, like snakes crawling up his body, curling around his neck, choking him—</p><p>Then, with the venom of a thousand hydras, he asked,</p><p>
  <em>“Who are you without your Bow?”</em>
</p><p>Itsuki’s face burned bright red, his fists clenched tightly by his sides, body trembling with humiliation and anger. No one’s been so rude to him before, and all respected him. This was the first time someone said it outright to his face: he was utterly useless without the Cardinal Bow. At least the other Naofumi had the decency to say it behind his back.</p><p>Naofumi tilted his head, lacing his hands behind his back. “I saw everything in the Last Wave.” His face was innocent, like he was discussing the weather over a cup of tea in a British café. “You and your party contributed nothing.” He paused, glancing past his shoulder, eyeing the group of adventurers sitting by the fire. A tattoo-like curse mark was still burned in their skin. “Is it because of that curse?”</p><p>Itsuki’s eyes widened, staring at him like he was the villain in disguise. “You were the one that cursed them?” he demanded. “Undo it this instant! What you’re doing is wrong!”</p><p>“Wrong? They harassed and tried to kill me. What I did was self-defence.” Naofumi’s hand fluttered in front of his face, like a teenage girl trying to fan the embarrassment away. “They’re not dependable people. They’re like poison; unnoticeable at first, but they’re the ones who will end your life when you’re weakened.”</p><p>“You’re wrong! They’re like family to me!”</p><p>He raised his voice, as if deliberately wanting the others to hear it. They turned briefly, then returned to the fires. Idiots have power if they were gathered together.</p><p>Naofumi’s eyes hardened. “As of now, you wouldn’t survive your journey, let alone the <em>Waves</em>,” he threatened. “You don’t have to believe me. Where I’m from, I survived the Waves. Hundreds of them. All four heroes lived, but they were still brutal. Now, the Shield Hero is dead, and the Waves are ten times more difficult.” His expression was blank, almost empty, but it was burning with anger. “This is barely the beginning. With my power or no, this world is doomed.”</p><p>“Where you’re from…?” Itsuki muttered, frowning as he realized the weight of the situation. “You’re Naofumi, but from another world.” He stared at him, horror-stricken. “Did you come because… because…”</p><p>“I didn’t come to help with the Waves.” Naofumi crossed his arms, his expression hard. His eyes were bright blue, but they were darkened without light.</p><p>“Why?” Itsuki demanded. “You’re powerful, right? You and the other heroes from your world. If you come and help, then this world will be saved! That’s what heroes do!”</p><p>“Because you’re all idiots, Kawasumi!” Naofumi barked, losing all patience. On his arm, his shield glowed dangerously bright. “I’m trying to rule a country, but <em>you</em> always declare war whenever a Wave starts!” Like ink in water, green began to seep through the sapphire jewel, tainting it poisonous green. “Amaki runs every time! Motoyasu starts wars with Melromarc! Why the hell do I want to help this world? Especially when you’re so self-absorbed!”</p><p>The teen gritted his teeth. “Then why did you join my party?!” he snapped. “You’re just here to attack me, aren’t you? To get your petty revenge.”</p><p>“MAYBE I AM!”</p><p>Naofumi’s stats began to glitch like a damaged video game. On Itsuki’s party list, his name flickered from white to black, crackling like electricity. Then, all at once, the same broken frequency spread to the rest of the name list, making its way up one by one, and eventually to the party leader—Itsuki.</p><p>Itsuki held his head, gasping as his status menu abruptly cut off from his sight. “What are you doing?” he hissed, glaring at Naofumi. “I never should have trusted you!”</p><p>Naofumi, now silent, stared at him with empty eyes. Only they weren’t blue anymore. They were dark green, like a toxic swamp. They were deader and darker than the Naofumi who’s given his life, and more poisonous than both of them combined. The shield on his arm didn’t change, but the jewel was now bright green instead of blue.</p><p>With the sharpness of a thousand knives, the EXP bar of every party member began to cut, with huge chunks of their experience eaten away every second. <em>89-73-40</em>… until the levels were all drained from them, setting them at a measly 1. In retrospect, Naofumi’s experience bar began to fill like an ocean: <em>194-201-203</em>—it stopped when their experience bars were gone, granting his total level at a grand 241.</p><p>Then, to add insult to injury, the party list shattered, and they were no longer registered in the same party. They could <em>never</em> be in the same party with each other ever again.</p><p>“I’d rather die than want <em>your</em> trust.”</p><p>Naofumi shoved Itsuki into his party members, who were just as frantic as their former party leader.</p><p>Right in front of them, his form began to change, his figure slimming and hair elongating, shifting to a face that they knew well. Pink carnation hair but with toxic green eyes, they stared wide-eyed as the winged young girl turned on her bare heels, and left them in the deep, dark forest.</p><p>* * *</p><p>“I’m sorry for running off!” Naofumi apologized, pushing his palms together and lowering his head. “I was busy with something.”</p><p>Raphtalia blinked, holding out her hands in surprise. “No, no! It’s fine. You’re free to go wherever you like.” Behind her, in the inn room, were Filo and Melty, who were both in nightwear. Filo was wearing a blue dress, which was lent to her by the princess. Raphtalia was the only one in armour, as she’d only recently returned from a walk.</p><p>Naofumi nodded, scratching the back of his head. “If you say so, I guess.” When he turned, the smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a shadow casting over his expression.</p><p>* * *</p><p>
  <em>Fine. I don’t care anymore. And summon a new Shield Hero or whatever the hell you want!</em>
</p><p>His forearms rested on the sink while he stared straight into the mirror, like he was looking through a portal. Squinting at his new irises, a sense of dread trickled into his stomach, recalling what L’arc had said when they first met. <em>The other Naofumi has green ones</em>, was what he said. Were his eyes as dark as his? Or were they bright, just like his before he unleashed his hatred? He couldn’t know because he was already gone.</p><p>Naofumi knew he wanted a life for himself, where he was free from expectations and chains that threatened to suffocate him. This world was supposed to be a breath of fresh air, yet he’s encountered more painful similarities and realizations that he never stopped to think about. He was a lord in Siltvelt, holding immense power and loved by many, but he was alone. The other Naofumi was the weakest of the heroes, hated by all, but he had a family who genuinely cared for him.</p><p>Who was the weaker one now?</p><p>As time passed, people saw him as a replacement for the deceased Shield Hero. They had the same face, but they were in no way similar. Raphtalia had said this herself, and he was aware of his behaviour. The other him was a villain, a demon lord that exploited the desperation of the weak and ruled over his party members with an iron fist and a short leash. But Raphtalia, Filo and Melty were happy and strong, nothing like what he’d thought of them to be.</p><p>He didn’t come here to <em>protect</em> them; he came here to save them from <em>him</em>.</p><p>Instead, they despised him, and not the Naofumi they knew. They didn’t hate the man who was the reincarnation of a demon king. They hated his replica who was known to neutralize wars between all nations.</p><p>Naofumi sighed, willing his illusions to replace the identical traits he shared with the other him. But no matter how much he tried, those green eyes refused to leave, persisting in its place stubbornly. He could change his appearance all he wanted, but they were the only things that remained to its very core.</p><p>Frustrated, he threw the black-collared jacket into the empty tub. The jacket that was said to be the exact replica of his other self.</p><p>This wasn’t what he wanted. Not at all.</p><p><em>LEAVE MY PARTY ALONE</em>.</p><p>And that voice. It was still here. Haunting his ears and mind, never giving him a moment of serenity. Whenever his guard was down, whenever he woke up from or were in his dreams, he would hear it. The accursed visions and words that didn’t belong to him. Sometimes it sounded like him on a bad day, and sometimes it sounded like someone else, but familiar. Someone he hated.</p><p>“Screw you,” he gasped, grabbing at the left scalp of his hair. He clenched the sides of the sink, glaring at his own pale face. He never felt so much self-hatred before, so much so that he was furious of himself. “Get out of <em>my</em> head.”</p><p>Forcing himself to turn from the mirror, he slammed the door to the bathroom behind him, biting his tongue so hard he tasted blood.</p><p>* * *</p><p>It’s safe to say that he could leave this world whenever he wanted, isn’t it? He made no attachments here, nor any true friends. Everyone tolerated him, but never acknowledged him. By logic, he should have left, as he didn’t have anything keeping him here. He should return, go see Sakura and apologize for ignoring her; grovel before Motoyasu to beg for forgiveness (though Motoyasu could be the one that grovels, who knows); and spend some gold to go find a therapist that’s specialized in post-identity crisis complexion. That’s what he should do.</p><p>But for some reason, he didn’t want to leave.</p><p>He didn’t want to return as the mess he is now. What would Motoyasu and Sakura think of him? They saw him as a parental figure, as someone who could not do wrong, like he was physically incapable of committing the slightest bit of fraud or crime. Whereas in reality, he’s a messed up, potential-schizophrenic, borderline deranged and a two-faced <em>thing</em> that broke down at the sight of a bath. He was not who they thought he was. Never was, never will be.</p><p>He’s escaping reality, and he knows that. Despite this world being just as real as the other, this wasn’t <em>his</em> reality. To him, it was a fever dream that crossed into the lines of a living nightmare. He could choose to awake any time, yet there was fear that held him back. Fear that possessed him ever since he arrived in Siltvelt sitting in a carriage.</p><p>What use was a hero if he can’t even save himself?</p><p>Abruptly, as he walked through the morning street, his stomach growled. Naofumi pressed his hand onto his abdomen, realizing that he’s barely eaten anything for the past two days. Eating was a hurdle for him, too, but he had to eat.</p><p>As Sakura, he left to a food vendor after changing his currency. On the road, there were nasty looks cast his way, lips curled into disgust as they saw a demihuman walking amongst their midst. He paid no mind, glancing at the food choices, looking for the ones that were the easiest to swallow.</p><p>“I’ll take two honey bread and five meat skewers.”</p><p>Even if they were food bought straight from the stove and oven, Naofumi can’t help but stare at the skewer in his hand, the grease on the meat glistening under the weak morning sun. Anxiety pooled in his stomach, sickening him to his very core; and despite his poison detection skill picking up zero ailments, he still hesitated to let it come close to his mouth. His fingers trembled as he held the wooden stick, his teeth gritting as he put it close to his mouth—</p><p>He put the skewer back in the bag and gave it to a passing demihuman slave. A small smile crept onto his face when he saw the young child reunite with his friends, and they shared the food amongst themselves as if it were a feast.</p><p>He’s had many feasts before, but he had no one to share it with.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Motoyasu lived through many loops before, and seen different outcomes in each one. By logic, nothing should surprise him anymore. Every theory was just an outcome waiting to be explored. He’s seen Naofumi become a demon lord in just five days, burning down the capital of Melromarc with nothing but his cursed flames; he’s seen Naofumi becoming a slave to an abusive owner who whipped him every day; he’s seen Naofumi executing the king and queen publicly and crowned himself as king—but this was a new ending he’s never seen in his life.</p><p>Naofumi becoming one with the Shield Guardian Beast, transforming himself into a vessel of its purity.</p><p>The false trial didn’t happen. Nor did the execution. After the party of the first night, there were rumours of Motoyasu’s disappearance, and more sinister ones where the Shield Hero had murdered the Spear Hero out of jealousy. It was false, of course, but also debatable. There were people saying that the Shield Hero disappeared the same night the Spear Hero left.</p><p>Now, as Motoyasu rested in the woods, far away from civilization, he stumbled upon the resting place of the Spirit Tortoise. With the Four Guardian Beasts representing a Cardinal Hero each, Naofumi’s Guardian Beast had been the one to fall victim to Kyo’s schemes. And in this world, Naofumi was the one to be attracted by the Spirit Tortoise itself.</p><p>During the time of the Spirit Tortoise’s awakening, Kyo did not come. Instead, his corpse laid splayed on the exposed dirt, with a man standing over his body. The man wore otherworldly clothing and had a kind face—that was what the villagers said. A spirit of the Tortoise who guided lost people back to their homes and punished the evil who tried to exploit the beast. They said he was waiting. They said he told them he was waiting for someone.</p><p>And the finally found that someone.</p><p>Naofumi smiled at Motoyasu, his body light but firm, a green glow emitting from his being. It could be passed off as the trick of the light, but it was as real as it got. His smile wasn’t evil, nor was it hiding any plans; it was calmness, something Motoyasu never saw in a long time.</p><p>Motoyasu caught his breath. He never told Naofumi about the Spirit Tortoise. He was absent from the majority of the country’s life, and it should have set off a domino effect where Naofumi was murdered by soldiers. He lived through this loop before, hundreds of times.</p><p>But this time, it was different. <em>Vastly </em>different.</p><p>“I know you don’t like seeing me.” His tone was soft, but his words were blunt. The truth was always blunt. “But you need to listen to me.”</p><p>Motoyasu glared, hands shaking. “Yes, Father.”</p><p>He couldn’t help himself. It was a habit he could never shake off. A child could grow out of eating glue and sniffing glitter. An adult could attend AA to handle smoking and drinking habits. But Naofumi was the one that raised his beloved. He was his Father-in-law, no matter how bad he wanted to deny it.</p><p>With silky, gentle hands, the shorter man took the blond's face, cupping the sides of his cheeks, smiling. His hands were cold to the touch. “I am not Iwatani Naofumi.”</p><p>Motoyasu did not expect that.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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